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Man dumps wife, six children after 46 years of marriage

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August 22, 2015

UNILAG students build eco — friendly car

Nigerian set for space A

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team of students at the University of Lagos have built an eco-friendly car. The inventors say the car doesn’t emit gas or utilise fossil fuel. They built the car under the Project Dove Initiative, and have successfully completed their first model, Dove P1, utilising locally sourced materials.

he Marriage between a Professor of Library and Information Science, Professor Benki S. H. Womboh, of Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, and his wife, Mrs. Grace Ayoo of Nbakaayan kuduv district of Buruku Local Government Area in Benue State has hit the rocks after 46 years over alleged threat to life and infidelity.

The Librarian described his marriage with his 55 years old wife as a bitter experience full of ups and downs, saying that she inflicted untold pains on him, reasons for which he is setting her aside, together with their six children.

Womboh, 67, brought the marriage to an end through an Oath of Affidavit, which he took in a Federal High Court, sitting in Yola, disowning both wife and children, stressing that he was fed up with the

Man dumps wife, six children after 46 years of marriage marriage. He cites threat to life and many years of unfaithfulness as reasons for his action, adding that “there is no longer love in the marriage.’’

He further told the court that he had tried several times to reconcile their differences, but all his efforts have proved abortive.

“There were several attempts to hold reconciliation meeting with Grace Ayoo, her children and family members, but all to no avail. Even a meeting convened at the instance of her pastor at NKST Akaajime was rebuffed,’’ he noted.

In the affidavit, Professor Womboh said that out of sympathy and his friendship to late Pastor Jacob Ayoo, he joined in wedlock with Grace Ayoo in August 1969 at Makur-

di.

Womboh further said thathis wife had given away the six children of the marriage, keeping only one boy for him, who he claims is a legal practitioner in Makurdi, Benue State.

“Grace Ayoo took away six girls and one boy, and swore they were not my children.

And to make matters worse, she married a securityman from the then Benue Cement Company (now Dangote Cement Company) and sued me for divorce at a magistrate court in Makurdi.

“The court case was struck out because the man she married died, and she stopped coming to court.

“But as a result of Grace Ayoo deserting the marriage at various times, I had to mar-

ry three other wives “in succession”, which means that as any of them left, he had to marry another one, because ‘I do not want to be a bachelor at any point in time’.

“When Grace Ayoo was brought back in 1999, she refused to recognise these three wives and their four children.

On June 9, 2014, she invited me to her residence at Gboko, and dictated new marital terms as follows: ‘Drive away the other three wives,’ and failure to comply, she vowed to take away the six children from me and give them to her elder brother, Mr. Atile Ayoo, to be their father, just as she threatened to organise people to assassinate me, drive away the three wives and their children, and take all of my property.’’

Nigerian man, Freeman Osonuga, who is a Medicine and Surgery graduate of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, has been shortlisted as one of the lucky human beings to travel to space.

This is a great achievement as Nigerians are making the headlines for positive reasons after so many incidents of internet scam, prostitution, terrorism and drug trafficking, which has dented the image of the country on the international scene.

Osonuga, was selected through the Rising Star programme, which was launched at the One Young World Summit 2014 in Dublin.

The programme invited both One Young World ambassadors and outstanding members of the public aged 18-30 to nominate themselves to take on the trip of a lifetime.

If selected for the programme, one will not only embark on a once in a lifetime flight to space, but will also be offered a three-year management contract.

Osonuga is a 2015 WIRED Innovation Fellow. He will be speaking live on stage at the WIRED 2015 conference in October in London.

In late 2014, at the peak of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, he worked as a volunteer worker with the African Union team of Ebola responders for 6 months in Sierra Leone.

Osonuga

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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August 22 , 2015

Port congestion: Where are the bonded terminals?

While traffic gridlock and port congestion continue to hobble the business of maritime in the country’s ports, government and relevant stakeholders dilly-dally over the plight of indigenous bonded terminals, which were created to ameliorate the problem in the first place, writes NICK UWERU

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emember SAVOL, ITC, ALLIANZ and Cargo Vision? These privately owned cargo handling terminals have all gone out of business. They really should be in business, given the persistent cloistering and congestion at Apapa Port. The sight of the terminal today is that of a big expansive complex gone burst. Apart from the decaying machines like the fork lift and other equipment long since CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘The end is near for bonded terminals’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

parked and rusting away because there are no shipping containers to warehouse for importers and exporters, the wide expanse of space at the terminal’s premises spells desolation. Its near 200 staffers have since been laid off. Like SAVOL, ITC, ALLIANZ and Cargo Vision, all privately owned bonded terminal outfits, have since stopped doing business. Compared to these port operators, SAPID, with three terminals, MICHELLE, MIGFO and two others may count themselves lucky.

Once in a while, they get some shipments of empty containers diverted to them. Even at that, the median capacity utilization of the five bonded terminals according their umbrella union, Association of Private Bonded Terminal Operators, APBTO, is put at 6.5. Perhaps luckier are 10 others who get some shipments diverted to them once in a while. Compared to five other bonded terminal these ten luckier facilities believe they are fortunate because these five others have since been declared closed with their owners moving on to other business. All 22 bonded terminal operators are indigenous owned. According to APBTO again, the entire capacity utilization of their whole set up is put at just 15 percent; this, despite the huge shipments that berths at the Apapa Ports on daily basis, seeking places to warehouse cargoes while customs details are taken care off.

Until 2005 from 2001 when the ports operation was taken off the hands of the Nigerian Ports Authority and handed over to concessionaires, private bonded terminals witnessed massive business boom.

But ever since the takeover, patronage had dwindled for the terminal operators.

Is it now stands, an estimated N1.2 trillion investment bonded terminal facilities have since gone down the drain. The spill over effect may have hit hard some 10, 000 workers and other ancillary operators connected to the business. “This is why we cannot fold our arms on the matter,” explained, explained Haruna Omolajomo, a former secretary, ABTO, who himself was downsized by the IBTO he was working for back in 2012. “We have made overtures to relevant authorities in this matter and we hoping that we can get result. We have to save our operation because some of our colleagues who have gone bankrupt have since taken ill; some have been flown abroad,” he added.

Bonded terminal operations actually gained ground in Nigeria, especially in the Lagos area, in the 1990s. They were set up to take pressure off the main ports and reduce congestion caused by the inefficiency of the Nigerian Ports Authority in cargo handling operation. Cargo and Customs related activities were shifted from the main ports to the off dock facilities.

Traffic congestion as a result of non-used of bonded terminals.

bonded terminal operations were abused. Serving Customs officers used their privileged positions to secure licences, using some clearing agents as fronts. The facilities became enclaves of corruption At the height of port congestion in the 1990s up till 2006 when terminal handling operations were passed on to private companies, government – through the Nigeria Customs Service – licensed the bonded terminals to serve as the palliative. It was the inefficiency at the ports that gave rise to bonded terminals and the same inefficiency that nurtured their existence.

But according to some maritime experts, the real reason for the decline their business was self inflicted. A Lagos-based maritime consultant, Mr. Bolaji Akinola, for instance stressed the need for bonded terminal operators to remodel their business in the light of the present state of things in the maritime sector of the economy.

Akinola, Managing Director and chief executive officer of Ships and Ports Communication Company Limited, hinged his argument on the fact that the operations of most Lagos-based bonded terminals

are no longer sustainable. He argued that the earlier their operators start reworking their business models, the better for them.

According to him, IBTOs’ operations were abused. Serving Customs officers used their privileged positions to secure licences using some clearing agents as fronts. The facilities became enclaves of corruption. There was no standard for licensing them neither were there standards for their operation. It was free for all.

According to him, “containers that were supposedly under Customs escort grew wings while transiting from the main port to the bonded terminal. Government was short-changed of huge revenue as Customs officers colluded with agents to perpetrate all manners of fraud. However, the story took a different turn in April 2006 as private firms emerged as port terminal operators.

“I have heard all sorts of arguments

from bonded terminal operators as they try to whip up public sentiment and emotions aimed at blackmailing terminal operators to send containers to their facilities.

“I disagree with many of their arguments because such arguments lacked business merit and I believe strongly that such desperation will not help their case.

Except for those very few off dock facilities owned by two terminal operators at Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, I am very much convinced that the end is near for these businesses.”

Akinola gave reasons why the end is near for bonded terminals, pointing out that the circumstances that gave rise to bonded terminals no longer exist. “Private terminal operators came along with efficiency. No more congestion; no more waiting time for container ships so no need to send boxes to facilities outside the ports. Secondly, most of the off dock terminals have not upped their games. They have not invested in modern container handling facilities and processes. They still rely largely on the same kabukabu equipment they used in their early days.

“Even in those days, the equipment was a source of frustration to many customers as they broke down too often. I know of a couple of bonded terminals that operated with only one tokunbo fork-lift.

My third reason is that volumes are low.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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August 22, 2015

‘There is need for commercial regulator’

Omolajomo

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Some off dock facilities stand the chance of receiving containers if the main port facilities get filled up but that did not happen last year and analysts have informed us that the situation might remain so for a substantial part of this year”, he said.

According to him, the final death knell for bonded terminals is the emergence of deep seaports in the Lagos area. “If all the reasons I adduced earlier do not perturb bonded terminal operators, then they should really be concerned that a deep seaport and a mega deep seaport will soon become operational in Lagos.

But other operators do not agree with him. Lucky Amewhero, licensed custom agent, member, national committee on custom reforms, says that the real issue has to do with the absence of a commercial regulator in the ports. “There are critical issues in the matter between the IBTOs and the concessionaires and the thing is that there is a strong need for a regulator at the ports,” he said.

He further explains: “the IBTOs have their own business; they operate out of the ports. Let us admit that there is some costs embedded when an importer cargoes are moves it out to the dry ports. But that is not really where the problems lie. The IBTOs built their structures to accommodate cargoes. Government should really sit back and take a holistic view of the matter. We have said at the reforms committee that there is a need for both the IBTO’s and

the ports managers to share the cost element of moving cargoes to the bonded terminals. Once the cost is shared, it will go a long way to solve the current problems on ground. In fact the whole matter further buttresses the need for a commercial regulator at the port so that everybody can be happy,” he said.

According to the maritime operator, the proposed regulator would determine what percentage of the cargoes leaves the port for the bonded terminals. Amewhero says that this is the common practice elsewhere. “Once you have IBTO’s, yes, you must have a regulator. There is hardly any viable port in the world where you don’t have bonded terminals. You have the regulators in South Africa, America and so many other places. When you concession your port, the next element that should follow is the commercial regulator.

It is like somebody taking over the ports operations, you must be regulated so that you don’t mortgage the interest of the indigenous players,” He said.

Chukwu Osita Patrick, National Coordinator, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers and Exporters Coalition, SNFFIEC, insists that even as it is, concessionaires would bear no additional cost in stemming cargoes to IBTOs. “What the ports managers are afraid of is that their returns at the ports should be split with the IBTOs. Say for instance, if the total money that comes into the ports per day is N100 million a day, the concessionaires

Traffic gridlock at one of the ports.

will rather keep the money rather than split any fraction with the IBTOs. The issue has to do with the transfer and handling fees. But what you get with the bonded terminal operator is cheaper. Their fear is that they might be upstaged by the IBTOs. All they are doing is to ensure that indigenous owners of terminals don’t make money,” he said.

He also believes in the need for commercial regulators in the ports. “It is important because the regulator will then tell the concessionaires to send containers to the bonded terminals. I think it is going to help the port a lot because right now the concessionaires want to keep the whole of the containers to themselves,” Patrick said.

A new Managing director for the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, Habibu Abdullahi, has since been appointed. He was in charge of the ports until June when former President, Goodluck Jonathan,

dismissed him, appointing Suleiman Ado Bayero. But some two weeks ago, there was a reversal in the appointment that caught, not a few people unawares. Abdullahi was reinstated by President Mohammadu Buhari. It is yet to be seen if the IBTOs will get succour from them.

The Senate’s Committee on Privatization earlier in mid March 2012 came to Lagos after it got a petition from APBTO on the alleged refusal of concessionaires to patronize their facilities. At the first meeting held at the headquarters of NPA, the concessionaires, led by AP Moeller, the largest of the ports operators, it claimed that it was indeed patronizing the local bonded terminal operators by diverting at list 30 percent of their shipment to them. The other concessionaires made similar claims. But APBTO furiously denied the claims, producing figures showing that that their combined facilities are CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Port managers want off-dock operations’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

only utilized by a mere 15 percent. At the clash of claims, the Senate Committee had then mandated the NPA to investigate the claims by the concessionaires. At the meeting, the paper learnt that unless the concessionaires are proven not to be marginalizing the local ware housing operators, it may be forced to legislate into existence a regulatory body that would ensure that ports operators patronize local players in the industry.

Some operators also believe that the concessioners have too much to gain in not patronizing the local bonded terminal operators. For instance during the mid March meeting with the stakeholders in the Apapa Port, APMT claimed that one of the biggest concessionaire claimed that it has been allocating shipment and cargoes to the local port warehouse operators.

They insist that as much as 33.7 of the physical containers from the vessels that berthed in Apapa to the off dock terminals. But debunking the claims, Omolajomo said that APMT merely stems vessels and physical containers to its own bonded terminal. Speaking to the paper, the former secretary of APBTO said, “These are operators who are not indigenous. I believe that we should not be marginalized in our country, especially given what is at stake in the maritime sector.”

Investigations by the paper show that there might be cause for worry for operators on this matter. A source at the port told the paper that some bonded terminal operators have been under pressure to sell their infrastructure to the concessionaire. “They want to control the dock operations and the terminal services as well,” the source said. The informant also alleged that the concessionaires may have decided to starve the operators of patronage as a means of forcing them to sell off their facilities. “If not, why refuse to use the terminal when there are congestions at the port,” wondered our informer. By the creating the bonded terminal, it was suppose to provide plants and equipment for loading and offloading, customs examination, delivery of containers and other activities related to import and export. Given the volume of activities on the Nigerian port, terminal operation can be a veritable money spinner. For instance, the law creating the operations provides that revenue accruing to the terminal be shared on ration 60:40; that is 60 percent for the operator and 40 percent for NPA. The suspicion among some port operators is that the concessionaires may have devised plans to appropriate this vital operations and their by add to their revenue profile.

Even more daunting for APBTO is the fact that the concessionaires have pow-

Traffic at Mile 2

erful backers as in their board and have unlimited cash for lobbying. For instance, as at 2005, AP Moeller had over 35 terminals which they manage in different ports across the world. Even so, top politicians are included as members of their governing board. AP Moeller has as a major stake holder, former head of state and the late wife of another head of state. the belief among some of the operators is that the Senate may not want to do much on account of these powerful figures. But analysts of the whole scenario believe that the lawmakers may have no choice on the matter given the economic backlash inherent if the concessionaires are not made to see reason why they must patronize the local ports operators. Apart from the danger of a N1.2 trillion going down the drain and many jobs being lost, there

are indications that bank loans are tied up in monies used to set up the terminus.

“Genuine investors in the maritime sector may have fears in committing money to the sector in future if nothing is done on the current matter involving the local bonded terminal operators in the country,” said Omolajomo.

But experts’ opinion traces the whole problem to the manner in which the Bureau for Public Enterprise, BPE, privatized the ports. During the concession of the ports to private offshore operators in 2005, the interests of the private bonded terminal operators were not taken into consideration. Yet long before even the privatization, studies and investigations into the operations of the port has established the importance and economic viability of this aspect of port operation.

Even more daunting for APBTO is the fact that the concessionaires have powerful backers in their boards and have unlimited cash for lobbying.

In the country, Maritime industry plays a very important role in the economy what with Nigeria being a consumer nation.

The country depends almost totally on the goods that come through the ports, notwithstanding government’s effort to discourage importation. With this high volume of imports and given the unnecessary bottle knecks in port clearing goods and cargoes, congestion at the port has become a reality really limiting the viability of the ports. The needless delays brought about by the congestion also affect sea going vessels that were to load and sail. Time and money often lost on routine basis for the shippers.

At some point, vessels heading to Nigeria are diverted to neighboring countries with better port management this, for the country is unimaginable loss of revenue.

To stem the problem, government introduced the bonded warehouse/off dock terminals. Initially regulated by the NPA, the bonded terminals largely lessened the congestion in the port as cargoes and containers were stemmed to these private facilities. But with the advent of the concessionaires, the private bonded terminal operators believe that unless the government acts decisively on their plight, their investment and services to the maritime sector may soon be history.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Omeiza Ajayi

T

rue to National Mirror’s prediction on Thursday, the federal government has suspended the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, David Shikfu Parradang. His suspension was contained in a statement signed by the Director of Press in

NATIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

FG suspends Parradang, Immigration CG

the Ministry of Interior, Isiaka Yusuf and made available to Saturday Mirror yesterday.

Mr. Parradang was

asked to immediately proceed on suspension yesterday while the service’s deputy comptroller general, Martin Kure

Abeshi was directed to assume the reins of leadership.

Although no reason

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right) with Father of the Bride and Governor of Oyo State, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi (2nd left), Osun and Ogun States Governors, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left) and Sen. Ibikunle Amosun (right) during the wedding ceremony of Oyo State Governor’s Daughter at Ibadan on Friday, August 21, 2015.

Ubong Ukpong, ABUJA

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wo soldiers on advance to Dikwa, Borno state, were yesterday killed and two wounded by landmines planted along the route by the Boko Haram terrorists, even as troops advancing to Boko Haram enclaves, also killed a large number of insurgents.

These latest casualties join a list of 1,059 Nigerians killed by the insurgents since May 29 this year according to Stefanos, a humanitarian foundation.

An operational update by the Army Headquarters, AHQ, through its Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, said the incident occured.

As troops of 5 Brigade Explosive Ordinance Devices (EOD) unit, advancing towards Dikwa, ran into landmines buried by the terrorists

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was advanced for his sudden suspension, reports that a chieftain of the Islamic State IS, Ahmed Al Assir was granted a Nigerian visa in Lebanon, may have prompted the action.

Al Assir was said to have been arrested at an airport in Lebanon while on his way to Nigeria through Egypt.

Reports however revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issuance of visa to the wanted terrorist who has been on the global terror watch-list.

The Lebanese judiciary has accused him of involvement in the death of 17 Lebanese solders and sentenced him to death. The Nigeria Immigration Service had before now received perpetual knocks for its poor handling of the issuance of passports to Nigerians, a situation

which often saw foreigners holding valid Nigerian passports.

A competent foreign ministry official said immigration officers, popularly called Entry Clearance Officers, are often attached to embassies for the purposes of spotting people with questionable credentials and consequently barring them at the point of entry. The service which came under knocks after last year’s botched recruitment exercise in which at least 15 applicants died had recently said between January and March this year, it refused no fewer than 12,152 foreigners entry into Nigeria because they had no genuine reasons for visiting the country. No one has been punished since the deaths of the applicants.

The immigration boss was said to be making frantic efforts to save his neck before his sudden removal.

tion has revealed Boko Haram has orchestrated 75 major attacks in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office during which 1,059 lives have been claimed. This was revealed by the Executive Director of the group, Mr. Mark Lipdo.

Stefanos Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, has been attending to the welfare of Internally Displaced Persons from the various attacks in their camps in Bukuru area of Jos South, Plateau State.

Lipdo said the highest number of attacks occurred in Borno State, where 551 people were killed.

In a statement in Jos on Thursday, which was made available to journalsts, Lipdo said all the attacks occurred between May 29 and August 12, especially under the watch of the recently sacked service chiefs.

According to him, Plateau State ranked second with 19 attacks and 112 people killed while Yobe occupied the third spot with eight attacks and 86 people killed.

Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Kano, Nasarawa and Taraba states placed fourth with two attacks each and a total of 254 people killed.

Though two attacks took place in Gombe, the statement said it had the highest casualty figure of 99.

Boko Haram: Explosives kill two soldiers in Borno • ‘1,059 people killed since May’ between old Marte and Kerenoa junction in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

“Unfortunately, 2 soldiers lost their lives, while 2 others were critically injured due to the landmine explosion”, Usman said. The DAPR disclosed that the bodies of the two gallant soldiers have been evacuated, to the rear, while the other two wounded soldiers have also been evacuated and are receiving treatment at the military hospital.

He said that the formation also lost a Mowag Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, at the same location. “Despite this sad event, the troops are not deterred

as they continued their advance and pursuing the terrorists to their enclaves in Sambisa forest.

“Similarly, it is important to note that troops in the various formations and units in Operation LAFIYA DOLE are in very high spirit and more determined to destroy the terrorists camps and enclaves”, he added.‬ Equally, he said that troops of 7 Brigade yesterday, entered and cleared Gudumbali town, Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.‬ ‪”During the operation, quite a number of the terrorists were killed their weapons

and equipment were destroyed. The troops are currently doing clearance operations in the general area”, the Army Spokesman stated.‬ ‪The Nigerian Air Force had earlier at the beginning of the week, inflicted heavy damage on the terrorists camps within the general area.‬ In a related development, executive director, Stefanos Foundation, Mr. Mark Lipdo, has said no fewer than 1,059 persons were killed in 75 major attacks in northern Nigeria since the inception of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

A research organised by one Stefanos Founda-

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NATIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We’ve not started recruitment, IGP warns

—Urges medical hospitals to treat gunshot victims

Omeiza Ajayi

F

ollowing the recent approval for the recruitment of 10,000 Police officers by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigeria Police Force has warned the general public against falling prey to the antics of fraudsters, say-

ing recruitment into the Force is yet to commence.

Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, who stated this yesterday in Abuja explained that modalities for the recruitment are being worked out with the Police Service Commission and would be announced in due

course.

He tasked the public on the need to beware of online fraudsters who may take advantage of the recruitment information to defraud them of their hard earned money “The Nigeria Police Force will adequately advertise on all forms of media (Televisions, Newspapers, etc) when

the recruitment commences. You can also visit the Police website on www.npf.gov. ng for necessary information”, he stated.

In another development, the InspectorGeneral of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, has enjoined members of the public including medical personnel to attend to accident vic-

tims and persons with gunshot injuries and thereafter, inform the Police for necessary action.

According to him, this became imperative, following neglects and consequent untimely death of victims in this regard out of fear of being implicated without Police involvement.

The Police High Command also directed its Officers and men not to harass good Nigerians in this regard, but endeavour to elicit correct facts in rela-

tion to the incident from them.

Doctors on duty are equally duty bound to treat victims of gunshot wounds and further inform Police of relevant facts, he said.

“The safety of Nigerians is a collaborative effort of all and sundry. Police therefore, enjoin citizens not to relent in their cooperative attitude in ensuring safety of all. While they are also to report any suspicious person or persons to the nearest Police Station”, the IGP added.

Boko Haram: Air Force intensifies intelligence, aerial surveillance

...As fighter jets crush terrorists’ enclaves, liberate towns Ubong Ukpong, ABUJA

T Hundreds of migrants rush at Macedonian border forces in an attempt to enter the country from Greece, yesterday..

Boko Haram: Why soldiers don’t survive N’East troubles —Air Chief Ubong Ukpong

C

hief of Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar has attributed the troubles faced by some military operatives at the war front in the North East to lack of professionalism and poor operational capacity.

A statement by the Nigerian Air Force, NAF headquarters, yesterday, through its Director of Public Relations and Information, DOPRI, Air Commodore Dele Alonge,

said that the Air Chief was making arrangements to rebuild the operational capacity of his men and make them operate professionally, to survive the troubles at the war front.

Air Marshal Abubakar had already embarked on operational tour of the war front in North East, where he assessed his men and came up with this position.

The CAS maintained that his administration focus on professionalism was borne out of the fact that, “if one is a professional, chances are high

that he would survive more in the event of any problem”.

Speaking in the light of the on-going counter-terrorism campaign against the Boko Haram sect in the North East, Air Marshal Abubakar stated that under his administration the NAF would come up with training programmes that cut across the entire NAF Specialties to enhance the capacity of both the officers and men so that they could better understand what was required of them.

“Our desire to reinvigo-

rate professionalism is borne out of our understanding of the fact that for you to really function, you need knowledge”, the CAS said.

Aside the focus on professionalism, Air Marshal Abubakar assured that his administration would also look at ways of enhancing the welfare of NAF personnel.

The Chef also promised to do everything possible within the shortest time to alleviate the challenges of accommodation facing NAF personnel in Maiduguri, Borno state.

he Nugerian Air Force, NAF, yesterday, said that its intensified intelligence and aerial surveillance and reconnaissance, were paying off in the battle against boko Haram, as fighter jets have destroyed more terrorists’ enclaves and liberated several towns.

A statement through its Director of Public Relations and Information, DOPRI, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said that the missions were ongoing around Dikwa, Damboru-ngala, Gudumbali, Zari, Damasaki, Gubio and Magumeri, in Borno state, and have continued to provide useful information about terrorists’ hideouts and activities.

“This vital information also forms the basis for recent aerial attacks and subsequent destruction of Boko Haram targets across the theatre of operation.

“These successes can be attributed to the recent increase in combat platforms deployed for OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE and the subsequent increase in tempo of aerial attacks against the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in North eastern Nigeria.

“The latest successes were recorded at Tokomberi where Mi24/35P helicopters attacked Boko Haram locations and successfully destroyed targets. Similarly, Boko Haram locations in Sambisa Forest Southwest of Tokomberi were successfully attacked.

“At Gazadure, East of Gubio, BHTs reported to have taken over the town market were engaged and dislodged.

“Also at Gulumbali, Alpha Jets on armed recce mission engaged the BHTs while the Agusta helicopter successfully disrupted suspected Boko Haram supply routes where smuggling activities were observed and dispersed”, Alonge stated.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

Guinea Bissau: Buhari appoints Obasanjo as Special Envoy

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has expressed concerned over the unfolding political situation in Guinea Bissau following the dismissal of the Prime Minister, Mr Domingos Pereira, and his cabinet by President Jose Mario Vaz. This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the president’s Special Adviser

on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina.

It stated that Buhari had already sent former President Olusegun Obasanjo as his Special Envoy to mediate and help find a solution to the crisis brewing in that country.

According to the statement, Buhari’s peace mission is in demonstration of true African solidarity and brotherhood.

The statement maintained that Obasanjo had embarked on the first leg of his mission by consulting with the current Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Macky Sall of Senegal in Dakar on Thursday. ``It is regrettable that while Chief Obasanjo was still consulting with President Sall, President Jose

Mario Vaz of Guinea Bissau proceeded to appoint and swear-in a new Prime Minister in the person of Mr Baciro Dja, a development that has worsened the political situation in his country.’’

Buhari appealed for calm and called on the leadership in Guinea Bissau to exercise utmost restraint and ensure the maintenance of law and order as efforts continue

to resolve the current crisis.

The president, particularly, urged the leadership in Guinea Bissau, including the military, to ensure respect for constitutional order, sanctity of life and

Drought: Expert suggests alternative water sources to avert disaster Abiodun Nejo, ADO EKITI

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he Federal Government has been urged to heed the warning given by Nigeria Meterological Agency that Nigeria may experience food scarcity due to low rainfall in 2015.

The Vice Chairman(South West Zone) of the Agriculture and Allied Employees’ Union of Nigeria, Comrade Blessing Oladele, said that it would be catastrophic for Nigerians to be hit by famine considering the hard-biting economic situation being experienced already.

In a chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Oladele urged the Federal Government to “seek alternative means of water supply to boost food production by investing hugely in irrigation projects across the country”, as part of the ways to ensure food security.

The agriculture expert said the low rainfall experienced in the South West and core North, known to be agriculture zones, called for serious concern, as he charged all the stakeholders to respond quickly to avert food crisis.

He said: “The States in the South West, particu-

larly Ekiti, has very low rainfall this year. So, our governments must invest in our dams, so that we can have irrigation projects that can respond to this kind of situation.

The agriculture expert from Ekiti State, who was appointed to the position last month to coordinate the union in Ondo, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Osun and Ekiti states, said that his appointment would help the present administration in Ekiti State to develop the agriculture sector and promote the administration’s stomach infrastructure policy.

According to him, the union will soon map out

strategies on how to partner with the state government to diversify the state economy and improve farming in the State.

Oladele said: “My task is to ensure that agriculture is repositioned in the South West and we shall achieve that. I am encouraging members of all unions, including the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress to invest in farming and we are receiving warm reception.

“The only alternative to our economic survival now is farming, which is food production and we have to live by that reality”, he said.

safety of citizens.

He also enjoined them to avoid taking any further action that could threaten the fragile democratic institutions recently established in the country.

AFRIMA releases final 2015 nominees list ...Yemi Alade, Davido, Diamond Platnumz, Brymo make cut

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L-R: Senior Executive, Maersk Group, Mr. Lars Reno Jackson; Chief Executive Officer, Mearsk Group, Mr. Nils Anderson; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo; President Muhammadu Buhari; former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; Regional Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Peder Soudergaard and Country Manager, Apmt, Mr. David Skov, after maersk group meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

9

nternational Committee of All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union Commission, AUC, announced the nominees for the 2015 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) at an international media conference yesterday at Victoria Crown Plaza Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Nominees are contending for the coveted AFRIMA 23.9 karat gold-plated trophy in 33 categories divided into the regional and continental categories and including the AFRIMA Legend Award and music/ entertainment journalist of the year award.

Well-known sensational African music names on the AFRIMA nominees list include: Amr Dab (Egypt) 1 nomination, Olamide (Nigeria) 2 nominations, Davido (Nigeria) 4 nominations, Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) 4 nominations, Psquare (Nigeria) 3 nominations, Charlotte Dipanda (Cameroon) 5 nominations, Sauti Sol (Kenya) 3 nominations, Sakordie (Ghana) 3 nominations, Yemi Alade (Nigeria) 5 nominations and Casper Nyovest (South Africa) 2 nominations. The budding music acts to earn nominations include: Kiss Daniel (Nigeria) 2 nominations; Wiyaala (Ghana) 3 nominations; Patoranking (Nigeria) 1 nomination; Joy Gitau (Kenya) 2 nomination, Ruby Gyang (Nigeria) 2 nominations and THT (Madagascar) 1 nomination, among others.

Jury members and AFRIMA International Committee were present to unveil the nominees after a rigorous six day screening exercise which started on Sunday, August 9 and ended on Friday, August 14. Also present at the conference were media practitioners, artistes’ managers, label owners, artistes and other stakeholders who were all excited and expectant as the nominees were being announced.

Revealing programmes of AFRIMA 2015 event, the President/Executive Producer of AFRIMA, Mike Dada said: “Recipients of the AFRIMA Legendary Award and the Africa Entertainment/ Music Journalist Award will be decided by the International Committee of AFRIMA and revealed at the main awards ceremony on Sunday, November 15 while songwriter and producer of the year will be wholly decided by the academy.

“AFRIMA in partnership with the African Union Commission is aimed at celebrating the rich musical heritage of the African continent. We want to use AFRIMA as a pedestal to explore the power of music as a tool of integration and prosperity in Africa despite the challenges it faces” Mr Dada concluded.

AFRIMA will be held in Nigeria to be broadcast to 84 countries on 109 television stations across the world with the support of its media partners.

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NATIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Punish looters, recover stolen money, Dogara urges Buhari

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he Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has stated that there should be no scared cow in the ongoing war

against corruption in Nigeria. Dogara, on his twitter handle on Thursday, described corruption as a cancer‎.

He said leaving any of

its cells alive will be fatal and therefore it is important to confront corruption in all its ramifications. Dogara added that it will be foolish for the

country to jail the looters without recovering the chunk of the looted funds.

A prominent member of the National Peace Committee, Archbishop

Wife of Lagos State Governor and the Special Guest of Honour, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode (3rd left), Managing Director, Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, Mr. Rahul Colaco (2nd left), the Corporate Affairs Director, Mrs. Ore Famurewa (3rd right), Marketing Director, Mr. Tarang Gupta (2nd right), Senior Scientist, Global Nutrition Development, Friesland Campina Innovation Centre, Netherlands, Dr. Anne Shaafsma (right) and President, Pediatric Association of Nigeria, Prof. Adebiyi Olowu (left) during the 10th Nutritional Seminar with the theme: “Physical Growth and Brain Development of the Nigerian Child; the Challenge of our time”, organized by Friesland Campina Wamco Nigeria PLC, at the Cassic Event Centre, Oregun on Friday, August 21, 2015.

...as group faults Peace Committee’s stance on probes

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non-governmental organization has urged Nigerians not to support the approach suggested by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee on how President Muhammadu Buhari should handle the investigation of corrupt public officers.

According to Civic Duties Awareness Initiatives, the advice given by the Committee that President Buhari should not waste his time fighting corruption alone was capable of diverting attention from the damage corruption has inflicted on the country.

The Executive Director of the NGO, Benjamin Oyekunle, at a media interactive session on Thursday in Abuja, said being entrenched,

the perpetrators would stop at nothing to make a nonsense of the anticorruption fight.

Oyekunle said: “It is in this light that we cannot support the recent call by some elderly, respectable and eminent citizens on the President not to waste his time on fighting corruption alone.

“It is our informed view that given the resources available at the moment no developmental project or administrative area has suffered neglect under this government.

“We believe and rightly so that there is no time spent on fighting graft that is not worth it. The President is on the right path. Anti-graft war is needed, it is needed now.

“For Nigeria to develop, corruption must be eradicated. All hands

must be on deck in this just cause.”

Oyekunle said all Nigerians should be involved and vigilant as the perpetrators would, among other means, employ mob actions against public officers that are already fighting corruption in their organizations.

The group said: “It has been noted that when you fight corruption, corruption fights back. Vigilance is therefore of utmost importance against all reactionary tendencies.

“The people who have emptied our collective purse are still bent on diverting the national resources to their private pockets. And they have a large war chest.

“They are ready to spend huge sums to truncate the anti-graft war.

They are the ones alleg-

ing partiality and selectivity.

“They can use anybody as their mouthpiece even without the person being aware they are being used for a wrong cause.

“There are those who would also want to make a nonsense of this justifiable cause by attempting to make a caricature of it, shouting wolf where none exists.

“Others perhaps would want to cash in on the government’s stance against corruption.

“They are ready to spend huge sums to truncate the anti-graft war.

They are the ones alleging partiality and selectivity.

“They can use anybody as their mouthpiece even without the person being aware they are being used for a wrong cause.

Matthew Hassan Kukah, had last week after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari suggested that past political office holders accused of corruption should be pardoned.

Kukah, a member of the Committee headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, said it would amount to distraction and a waste of time probing past administrations.

He said the present government should be forward looking and meet the needs and aspirations of Nigerians.

But Dogara, on his Twitter handle, disagreed with this position.

The Speaker tweeted: “We must confront corruption in all its ramifications

cos it’s like cancer. Leaving any of its cells alive’ll be fatal.‎ “The amount of looted funds stashed abroad is such that it’ll be foolish to just jail the looters without recovering a chunk of it.

“We must be very smart but the total war must go on regardless of who is for or against it and there should be no sacred cow.

“We need to set the goal or purpose of the war against corruption in order to fashion out an appropriate response “‎ For example: do we want our money back or do we simply want to jail the looters?

“These are complex issues with no easy answers.”

GTB earnings grow by 15 percent

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uaranty Trust Bank Plc has released its audited financial results for the half year ended June 30, 2015 to the Nigerian and London Stock Exchanges.

A review of the half year performance shows positive growth across all key financial metrics and improved strategic positioning of the brand.

Gross earnings for the period grew by 15 per cent to N153 billion from N133 billion reported in the June 2014.

This was driven primarily by growth in interest income.

Profit before tax stood at N63.11 billion, representing a growth of 18 per cent over N53.39 billion recorded in the corresponding period of June 2014.

The Bank’s loan book grew by 2 per cent from N1.276 trillion, recorded as at December 2014, to N1.299 trillion in June 2015, and total customer deposits increased by 5 per cent to N1.71 trillion from N1.618 trillion in December 2014.

The Bank closed the half year ended June 2015 with Total Assets and Contingents of N3.04 trillion and

Shareholders’ Funds of N385 billion.

The Bank’s non-performing loans remained low at 3.73 per cent.

On the backdrop of this result, Return on Equity and Return on Assets stood at 28.1 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively.

The Bank is proposing an interim dividend of N0.25k per ordinary share of 50 kobo each for the period ended June 30, 2015.

Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director/CEO of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, attributed the Bank’s strong performance during a tough half year period to the continued support of its customers, the commitment and hard work of its staff, management and Board and strong corporate governance standards.

According to Agbaje, a major objective for the Bank this year is to add value to all stakeholders and improve the customer experience.

He said: “We will continue to drive customer engagement, underpinned by a single view of the customer, and build an ecosystem that will guarantee increased customer interactions and satisfaction at every touch point.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

11

South West

Emulate Ooni Sijuade’s large heartedness, wife urges Nigerians

Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo.

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ife of late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olori Ladun Sijuade has urged Nigerians, especially those

in leadership positions to learn from the large heartedness with which the late monarch rule his domain.

Receiving Senate delegation in Ife on behalf of late Ooni Sijuade’s family, led by Sena-

... as Akpabio condoles with late monarch’s family

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he Minority Leader of the Senate, Chief Godswill Akpabio has described the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade 11, as an enigmatic leader, great patriot and statesman who had written his name into our national folklore and whose memory shall remain a national treasure.

He said during the Ooni’s lifetime, and his 35year reign, he had proven himself as a worthy successor to the legendary throne of Oduduwa whose contribution to national unity cannot be overemphasized.

Senator Akpabio made the observation during a condolence visit he paid to the family of the late monarch in Ile-Ife on Thursday.

According to the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, the demise of the Ooni was a sad loss not only to the Yoruba race but Nigeria as a whole.

“We acknowledge the pain and agony of the loss of a father, a worthy Prince and a Spiritual Head, but we urge you to take solace that the late Royal Majesty, by virtue of his many good deeds, shall forever be embalmed in the hearts of his loving subjects. Further be consoled that he lived long enough to guide and witness the many successes of The Royal Family and the Yoruba race. He was an epitome of visionary traditional leadership.

“The Late Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty Oba Okunade Sijuade, shall be long remembered as the one who modernized the kingdom of Ife. Moreover, the late Oba fortified the position of “Arole Oduduwa” in the tablets of con-

temporary history as the preeminent keeper of the seal of Yorubaland.

“He devoted his time, knowledge and resources in serving his people, community and State. His virtues were exemplary, and his faith in transparent leadership was the key attribute he exhibited throughout his kingship,” he said.

Chief Akpabio recalled that on his 50th birthday anniversary, the occasion received a royal blessing with the dignified presence of the late Monarch and said the late Ooni had such a profound heart for people and this marked him out as a Royal Father who extended his fatherhood role to all Nigerians in particular and humanity in general.

He said the fond memories of that kind gesture of the said visit has left him with a great sense of loss.

The Senate Minority Leader however urged members of the late Ooni’s family to continue to tread the path of honour, decorum and righteousness which he said the late Monarch treaded and that would honor his memory in a way no statue or monument can.

He condoled with the family on the loss and extended to them the sympathies of the good people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District and prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

In her response, the wife of the late Ooni, Olori Odun commended Senator Akpabio for identifying with the family at the time of their grief and said the support of well wishers have kept the family strong.

tor Adamu Abdullahi, Olori Ladun, said the charismatic leadership provided by the late monarch in over 30 years of ruling the cradle of the Yoruba race should be copied by leaders of government.

According to her, late

Oba Sijuade always listen to his subjects regardless of their social class or religion, the attributes she said was missing in many of today’s leaders.

She however commended the Senate for identifying with the

family at their moment of grief and prayed for peace to continue to reign in the state and the country at large.

Earlier, during a condolence visit to the Governor of Osun, on the demise of Ooni of Ife, Oba Sijuade in Osog-

bo, the Senate assured people of its unalloyed support to President Muhammadu Buhari in its drive to change the fortune of the nation for better, describing the late monarch as “symbol of pride of the Yoruba race.”

L-R: Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, his wife, Olori Kafayat (3rd left); Secretary to the Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood

Ambode tasks mothers on good nutrition for children

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others in Nigeria have been advised to give good nutrition to their growing children so as to ensure sound intellectual and physical growth.

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, who gave the advice while declaring open

the 10th Nutritional Seminar of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria, at Oregun, Ikeja on Friday said some mothers are either not sure of what nutrition to give to their children or completely unaware of this significant period of a child’s life.

She said that the first five years of a child’s life

was the most critical that sets the stage for the child’s intellectual development, lifelong health, as well as vulnerability.

“Certainly, the brain development and mental health of a child is essential and it should never be neglected. Science reveals that there is no other period of a

child’s life when nutrition has such profound impact as compared to the first five years of a child’s life. This is a critical period that sets the stage for a child’s intellectual development, lifelong health, a period of enormous potentials as well as vulnerability,” Mrs. Ambode said.

Stoppage of WAEC fee payment temporary — Ajimobi

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said the decision to stop the payment of the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination fee for candidates in the state public schools and the introduction of N3,000 annual developmental levy for the pupils are temporary.

He made this disclosure while speaking with journalists at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan on Thursday evening.

According to him, the decisions were borne out of the economic reality in the state and the desire to address the abysmal performance of candidates in the examination.

He said the decision to

introduce the levy was taken after it was discovered that parents no longer involve themselves in the education of their children, stating that the Parents Teachers Association and community leaders were consulted before the decisions were taken.

He said, “With the paucity of fund in the state,

we had to face the reality that we could not continue to sponsor children without involving their parents in a way. This is why we introduced the developmental levy. It’s just for a period of time; as soon as things improve for the state financially, we will put it down. It is an emergency situation that we must address.

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REGIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

INEC assures Kogi electorate of free, credible polls Wale Ibrahim LOKOJA

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured the electorate in Kogi State that it will conduct free, credible and fair governorship election coming forth on November 21,2015.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji

Hussein Halilu Pai who disclosed this while speaking at a stakeholders meeting on Continuous Voters Registration CVR, Distribution of Permanent Voters Cards PVCs and Political Party primaries held in Lokoja yesterday, stated that INEC will use Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections to display an improved electoral process.

Pai pointed out that the lessons learnt from previous election will be used in raising the bar during the election.

The REC stated that the INEC will carry out a continuous voter Registration CVR exercise and those registered will have their cards printed in fashion out and voters transfers will also be supported.

He added that 10

Direct Data Capturing Machines in each of 21 local government areas offices to be manned by two personnel, adding the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards would soon commence for those that could not collect before the 2015 elections.

He further stressed that the improved card readers machines will be deployed to the all polling units in the state during the November 21st governorship election.

Fulfil campaign promises or be chased out of office –Masari James Danjuma KATSINA

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oliticians in the country have been called upon to rise to the challenge of fulfilling campaign promises or be ready to be chased out from office in 2019.

Katsina State governor, Aminu Bello Masari stated this yesterday during the launch of fertiliser sale to farmers at the Kafinsoli Farm Service Centre, in Kankia Council Area of the state.

Masari said elected politicians should not be in the habit of using the word ‘change’ as an avenue to enriching themselves or deceiving the electorate to satisfy political interest.

He said with the years of democratic practice, Nigerians were now be-

coming enlightened and conscious of voting out of office or into office their choice candidates.

The governor said his administration was not unaware of promises made during election campaigns and that efforts would be made to fulfil such promises.

In relation to the fertiliser distribution, he assured that his government would give priority to agriculture to reduce poverty and empower people.

He said that his administration would also provide improved seeds to farmers to boost food production.

The permanent secretary in the ministry of agriculture, Lawal Sada Mani said each bag of fertiliser would be sold to farmers at N1,780 per bag.

Job applicants accuse Kaduna teachers’ board of extortion

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Former Interim National Women Leader of All Progressive Congress (APC) and Chairman, Wakiliyan Mata Women Empowerment Initiative, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor (right), presenting Empowerment Fund to Mrs. Hauwa Solomon, An Internally Displaced woman at the Bajabure IDPS camp in Yola, yesterday. With them is Adamawa State women leader of the initiative Hajia Hauwa Abba. PHOTO: NAN

Al-Makura declares tax holiday for solid minerals investors

Igbawase Ukumba LAFIA

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asarawa state governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, yesterday declared a tax holiday for intending solid minerals investors who would want to invest into that sector of the economy in the state.

The governor declared the tax holiday in Lafia, the state capital, when receiving a report submitted to him by a nine-man committee he had earlier inaugurated to look into ways of harnessing the abundant mineral resources in

the state.

Accordingly, Al-Makura, his administration would liberate all policies and processes that had hitherto sent some investors away from the state, while assuring that indigenous miners would receive adequate support from the state government to enhance their exploitation of the solid minerals deposits.

He went further by calling on citizens of the state to take advantage of the policy trust of the government of the day to make solid mineral exploitation

a priority which according to him, “is a beacon of hope to the Nigeria economy and as well in line with the call by President Muhammadu Buhari’s for a diversification of the nation’s economy.

The governor who lamented that the state could no longer access the revenue accrued to it from exploitations of the minerals in the state, however vowed to retrieve all revenues meant for the state but were diverted to other states .

Consequently, he tasked the Nasarawa State Min-

erals Development Company, NMDC, to properly document such diverted revenues’ details to enable government swing into action of retrieving them.

While submitting the report, chairman of the committee, Alhaji Isa Ahmed Bukar, called on the state government to declare a state of emergency of at least 2 to 4 years in the solid mineral sector, even as he also advocated for the entrenchment of a solid minerals policy in the state to guide on how to do things in that sector.

ollowing the allegation that applicants for jobs advertised by the state government were directed by the teachers’ board to pay N1000 in a designated account with Skye Bank, the Kaduna State government has directed all candidates applying for teaching jobs in the state not to pay money into any bank account as directed by the state Teachers Service Board or any other agent.

The state said, the directive was illegal and advised candidates not to comply.

The instruction came after hundreds of candidates had already paid. Still, candidates complained that they could not access applications even after payment.

The state government in a statement by the secretary to the state government, Balarabe Abubakar, asked applicants not to pay money to any bank account as such directive was not from the government.

In the statement the government explained that: “Further to its advertisements inviting applications from members of the public willing to work as Teachers or Traffic and En-

vironmental Enforcement Officers, the Kaduna State Government reiterates the following: “As clearly stated in the adverts, applications by those seeking Teaching jobs should be addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education.

Applicants for Traffic and Environmental Enforcement Officer positions should submit their applications to their Local Government Council Chairman.

“Applicants are not required to pay any fees or submit any forms, other than their application letters and relevant documents.

“Any request for money or acts amounting to obstructing or hindering citizens from smooth submission of their applications is illegal. Applicants should report such acts to info@kdsg.gov. ng or to 08184444644 and 08184444744.

“Candidates whose applications meet the required standards will be shortlisted and contacted for the next stage of the recruitment process. NAN

Politics Peace committee’s visit and matters arising Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 22, 2015

Lekan Adejuwon

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he Abuja Presidential Lodge has turned a Mecca of sort to some high profile Nigerians in the past two weeks, who had been paying homage to President Muhammadu Buhari for reasons that many could not, but described as ‘highly suspicious’ The visits to the President, some of which have been described as ‘Nichodemus’ visit, kick started with an announcement by Presidential Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina of the visit by the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan penultimate Thursday.

It was to be followed the second day, by a much more publicised visit by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who disclosed to State House Correspondents that the visit was normal as he had not personally met with Buhari since he was sworn in on May 29.

As critical Nigerians and political analysts were already making permutations as to the real motif of the coincidental and unusual state visits, what appears the mother of all visits was to come with the celebrated visit last week’s Tuesday, by the National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Elections to President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja.

Originally set up by the office of Senator Ben Obi, Special Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 to help douse the rising tension that the impending election was generating at the time, the committee headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, was reported to have met President Buhari with an appeal to him to follow due process in his war against corruption.

Members of the committee, according to the report, included the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah; the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’Ad Abubakar III; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh; Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs. Priscilla Kuye; Publisher of the Vanguard Newspapers, Chief Sam Amuka Pemu; National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and Senator Ben Obi among others.

The star attraction of the members list is undoubtedly the fiery and highly cerebral Bishop Matthew Kukah who doubles as the official spokesman of the committee.

The clergy’s message was clear to every discerning mind that the Peace Committee mission was to urge President Buhari to whittle down on his crusade against corruption.

Bishop Kukah, who addressed newsmen after the meeting was reported to have said that from the various discussions they have had with political leaders, it was clear that no one was in support of corruption, but that since the country was no longer under military rule, due process should be adopted in the anti-graft war, as a suspect is presumed innocent until he was found guilty by the court.

He said “In our conversation with President Jonathan and members of the parties, I don’t think any Nigerian is in favour of corruption or is against the President’s commitment to ensuring that we turn a new leaf.

“I think what we are concerned about is the process.

It is no longer a military regime and under our existing laws, everybody is innocent until proven guilty.

Kukah went further to suggest that former President Jonathan did what he described as ‘spectacular;’ by conceding defeat during the last general election where he contested as the incumbent, adding that such gesture should not be wished away.

Kukah

His words: “Again, our own commitment is not to intimidate or fight anybody, the former President’s commitment and what he did still remains spectacular and I think that President Buhari himself appreciates that. So, our effort really is to make sure that the right thing is done.”

The development has therefore, fuelled suspicion from many quarters over the visit against the backdrop of rumours making the round that former President Jonathan had recently complained to the committee, alleging that the Buhari administration was victimising his former aides on corruption allegations.

This may have heightened the fear that from the bishop’s speech, the committee could be trying to influence a reduction in the tempo of the Buhari anticorruption crusade even as many have queried what bearing the former President’s spectacular act of accepting defeat in the 2015 election has with the present serious need to rid the nation of corruption which has almost crippled the economy.

Jimi Disu, a public affairs analyst belongs to this school of thought. He emphasized this in his regular radio programme last week, when he insisted that Jonathan did what was right as he had no option than to concede defeat as a true democrat.

Father Kukah, in another breath, told reporters that the idea of probe is a distraction for President Buhari saying that the stability of the country should be paramount.

“I think this whole thing about probes and probes, there are no probes in a democracy. You can have investigations, anybody, retired President, retired Senator, retired governor, anybody can be brought to trial once investigations are concluded.

“We are only saying a lot of this kind of speculation about probes is a distraction that nobody needs.

“So the most important thing is that we need a stable country first before we can talk about these things and I think they can happen down the line,” he said.

But in a swift reaction, the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, warned against any attempt to truncate the ongoing fight against corruption in the country, even as the party expressed its support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to end the scourge in the country.

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The party issued the statement against the backdrop of rumours that the National Peace Committee visited Buhari to put pressure on him to stall the rumoured probe of the Goodluck Jonathan administration In a veiled reference to the committee’s meeting with the President, the APC urged opinion leaders in the country to ensure that their actions and utterances do not give comfort to those who looted the commonwealth of Nigeria.

In a statement issued in Lagos by its national Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said, ”Our party promised Nigerians change, but the change that we promised and which Nigerians desire so much cannot be achieved if we allow the resources that belong to all Nigerians to be appropriated by a few. ”How do we upgrade our decayed infrastructure and provide jobs for our people when the money meant for that has been embezzled by a few? ”President Buhari has promised to break the vicious cycle of corruption that has held Nigeria down. How can he do that if he allows those who have looted the treasury to escape justice, and then use their ill-gotten wealth to fight the government? ”How can he do that if he turns a blind eye to the monumental cases of corruption in all sectors? We know that fighting corruption in a society where the cankerworm has eaten deep into its fabric will not be easy. We know that corruption will always fight back. ”But there is no other choice than to confront and destroy this monster once and for all lest, it destroys Nigeria.

“Therefore, those who are shouting themselves hoarse by saying the Buhari Administration’s fight against corruption is selective or is a distraction, are only seeking to sabotage the epic battle.

In its response, a group known as the United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress described the anti-corruption war as a positive “distraction”, if it would lead to the recovery of billions of dollars that had been stolen from government’s coffers.

However, in what appears Buhari’s official reaction to the committee’s demand, the President had in unmistaken terms reiterated his commitment to fight corruption head long assuring the peace committee members that the trial of some alleged looters of public treasury will commence in few weeks.

Mixed reactions have since trailed the controversial visit even as the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, has expressed outrage over the suggestion by the Committee that President Muhammadu Buhari should tread cautiously in the fight against corruption.

The CNPP, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Osita Okechukwu, described the view of the committee as “subtle and scary blackmail,” which could wittingly or unwittingly dampen the raging momentum of the war against corruption being waged by the president.

“We sincerely believe with time the war against corruption will touch even unintended persons, groups and quarters; with the impeccable antecedent of Mr President. Let the music play on as looters have nowhere to hide,” Stating that it was at a loss why the NPC skipped its brief, the CNPP said it was worried that the committee, which also has the Sultan of Sokoto has a member, had been “allowed to continue to do what only God knows.”

It would be recalled that the continued relevance of the peace committee had been under intense criticism because of the believed from several quarters that the committee’s terms of reference should have ended with the successful completion of the 2015 general elections.

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POLITICS

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics challenging for Nigerian women –Khadijat Ibrahim Hon Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, daughter of Second Republic politician, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim and wife of first civilian governor of Yobe State, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, speaks on her journey into the murky waters of politics and her ambition to be the first female Deputy Speaker. LEKAN ADEJUWON reports:

W

hat was your biggest motivation for politics?

My motivation and journey into politics is an offshoot and still remains a continuation of my father’s vision and life philosophy which is essentially rooted in the service of God Almighty and humanity. It all began in 1998 whilst I was on normal visits to various communities in Yobe, my state, to attend to the sick, the poor and needy with Medicare, food items and clothing. Then, people would come to me for a representation of their interests at various levels – community, local government, state, etc. But at that time, I did represent them in personal, non-governmental capacities. Then came 2004, when out of the people’s pressure, the government of Yobe State under the stewardship of the then Governor, now Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim appointed me as Commissioner for Transport and Energy. Thereafter, the pressure for me to represent my people at the federal level became so huge that I had to vie for this seat and, here we are now. So my motivation and journey into politics began as, and remains, a journey of service to the people.

Earlier on in the interview, you told us how you were able to study abroad, how did that exposure influence you?

Unlike now, during my time, there was nothing unique in studying abroad because Nigerian students experienced regular sessions then. Unlike now academic sessions were fairly regular in Nigeria.

However, overseas training exposes one to practical knowledge and experience available outside one’s traditional environment. And for those of us who had overseas industry practice and experience immediately after graduation, you have the advantage of being constantly reminded of how better our own environment and affairs can be run.

Your life seems to have been politically wired, you hail from a family of political juggernauts and today, you are equally married to a gentle man politician, how did that came by?

My family knew my husband way back when he was in University. He was a friend and colleague to one of my senior brothers. During the time I wanted to venture into politics, I consulted him as the then Governor of Yobe state. He advised me to assimilate myself with the demands and challenges of the people so that they would know me and get used to me first.

That I did for a long while and that led to my appointment as Commissioner which

gave me an opportunity to get closer to the people at the grass root and the choice was left to them. My constituents actually met my husband and told him they wanted me to represent them. So I can actually tell you that Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim as well as being my husband actually paved the way for me to enter the political arena.

So, what was the experience like working as a ‘staff ’ under your husband?

Given our own environment where, in some cases, merit is never considered whilst government appointments are being made, a wife serving in the husband’s administration as a Commissioner may present an unfair assessment of either the Commissioner (wife) or the Governor (husband). But luckily for me, two things worked in my favour. I had said that I gained recognition by continuing my father’s philanthropy and community service. And for that, many had always advocated that I represent my people in government so as to attract development to their communities. This is because they recognized my passion in advancing the cause of humanity and also the fact that, in terms of finance, there is a limit to which an individual could go in assisting her people. Secondly, the appointment came at a time when there was urgent need for the development of the rural areas with roads and electricity and people thought that I had the passion and zeal to sincerely and seriously execute that mandate. I thank God that in the end, I never disappointed our people.

The experience was essentially unique except the pressure that went with it. Because one had to be early in office or meetings, say the right things and do the right things. You must be a positive example and sign post of the people and government.

When others know that the Commissioner who is the Governor’s wife is usually the first to attend to duties, then, they take the whole concept of governance more seriously. And my husband believed in due process. He can never allow you bend the rules no matter who you are. In fact, he is a different man at work; once you leave the gate of the house and you enter that of the secretariat, you are under another atmosphere entirely. The experience put you on your toes and at the same time helped to simplify that unique position and in the end a success was made to the benefit of our people, those who indeed made a case for my higher appointment in political service.

Khadija Ibrahim

Can you recall your worst experience in politics?

The politics associated with the emergency of Boko Haram and its adverse effect on my people. The sad memory hunts me till this moment and it is not what I will like to remember or even talk about.

So, how do you face the challenge of running a home as a politician and women leader in your zone?

The challenges are enormous but not insurmountable. First, unknown to many people, the bar is sometimes raised whenever a woman is involved. How do I mean?

Anywhere you see a woman is adjudged as capable that woman must have performed better than normal. Secondly, you are confronted with effective management of the home and state national assignment.

Thirdly, most political affairs meetings, scheming in fact, real politicking, are usually night evening affairs. So in the case of a nursing woman-politician, you can imagine what level of resilience that is required of her. But as I usually advice the younger generation of women, try to acquire sufficient education first, by going to school and obtaining knowledge, which I did. With that, a woman can effectively maximize her home, office management and make the best out of both.

What would you consider as your greatest achievement in politics?

I am still in politics, so, there is still room for more achievements. But I can say my greatest achievement thus far is that I have not disappointed those who insisted that Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim’s daughter should represent us. I have given them voice in the National Assembly, executed numerous projects such as electricity, provision of water, healthcare, schools/education, etc to them at my own expense. In fact, literally speaking, I have shared whatever I earned here (National Assembly) with them. Besides, I have attracted federal government resources and numerous federal projects to their benefit.

How do you feel serving as a female parliamentarian in this time around?

As I said earlier, it is quite challenging for women in Nigeria. But overall, it is quite satisfactory. You are satisfied that you provide a voice for voiceless, that you serve as a model to the girl-child and you are contributing to the development of the nation.

You are known to always dress in a conservative way, what is your Fashion indulgence like?

I am a firm believer that a woman should be a decent dresser. That is to say she should not dress to appear in a way that cheapens her or gives her away as desperate. Again, I believe that in dressing, we should see ourselves as role models to others. And please, don’t be mistaken.

This has nothing to do with religion. In all communities anywhere in Nigeria, we all know what amounts to indecent dressing. Even in the urban areas where some of us live, when you appear indecently, people around you will know. So my fashion psyche is that I should always appear and be seen as a role model for the younger generation.

So, what do you hate in people?

Honesty they say is the best policy. I hate dishonesty. As a leader, I have learnt how to tolerate and use the goodness in me to change the character ills of others.

I don’t hate people; I only hate dishonesty in people.

If given another chance to live your life as the daughter of the great politician, Waziri Ibrahim, what would you do differently?

As human beings, we cannot be perfect like God is. But we should always strive to be. If given another chance and the circumstances do not remain the same, of course, one would approach certain issues and course of action differently. For example, if Boko Haram disappears now, our assistance will be more enduring as it used to be before Boko Haram came. It will be about durable infrastructure, intensive education and skills acquisition based policy as opposed to now that it is consumptive due to the displacement of our people from their homes as a result of insecurity.

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August 22, 2015

Talking Politics

‘We’ll defeat insurgents soon’ ­­— President Muhammadu Buhari

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e will sustain our efforts and the insurgents will be defeated soon,” “We also appreciate the diligence shown in appointing a commander for the Multinational Joint Task Force. President Deby believes that the fight will end in a few months.

“Our people rely on us to end the insurgency because economic development is being hampered. This fight has to come to an end. My coming here is to re-affirm our full commitment. Beyond the number of troops earlier announced, Chad is still ready to commit more soldiers. The enemy is weakened already. Let’s stand firm, and neutralize them”

‘I’m not against probes’

­­— Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah – Kukah

“S

ome of those who claim to disagree with me kept making up the stories as they went from one beer parlour or bus stop to the other.

“Now, no one seems to remember what I said, so what is there to elaborate on? I have said it elsewhere and I was only making a suggestion based on my experience as a Nigerian. How many probes have we had?

“Where are the convictions? I am not against probes of any sort. My advice was that with no clear strategy, government could raise undue anxiety and they may lose the element of sur-

prise and find that the required ammunition for building their case has vanished, that’s all”

‘Igbo cannot eat their cake and have it’

‘PDP lost dearly for fielding Jonathan’

“A

“T

—Chinwoke Mbadinuju, former governor of Anambra State

s for appointments, some Igbos across the Niger are complaining. Even Jonathan whom Igbo gave almost all their votes did not deliver. So what did Igbo get from Jonathan? Nothing.

“Is it the 2nd Niger Bridge or Onitsha to Enugu to Abia to Port-Harcourt roads? I’m not holding brief for President Buhari but truth is that the President still has a lot of appointments to make, running into hundreds if not thousands.

“Should Igbo need to antagonize the President at this early stage? There’s no evidence yet to show that the President hates Igbo. If Igbo had given their votes to Buhari, obviously Igbo will have gotten their own fair share of appointments.

But I’m saying that appointments are not yet done and over, but it’s still a reward of what was done.

“It is not by antagonizing the President, or by force that he’ll give Igbo the said appointments. Rather, Igbo should find a way to reach out to the President and plead, not

by force. It should be a friendly encounter.

“To get more appointments for Igbo, they must vote for candidates that can win and be useful, as one sage said, “he whose bread I eat, his song I will sing”. This means a lot for Igbo.

“During the campaigns, Buhari visited the South-East several times, up to seven visits to Igboland. Still Igbo believed that Jonathan would win. But he lost. Was that because Buhari hated Igbo? Our people cannot eat their cake and have it”.

blow because that action served the first notice that it had disconnected with the masses. So we must go back to the culture of zoning and rotation of offices”.

— Balarabe Musa, former governor of old Kaduna State

— Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi

“W

he PDP paid dearly for fielding Jonathan with the loss of power at the centre in the last general election.

“The development created crises of confidence among key stakeholders and eroded sense of belonging among many party faithful.

“When the founding fathers formed the party in 1998, they established the principle of justice and equity whereby power resided with the people, who could decide who became what at any point in time.

“But over time, the party swerved away and breached the principle thereby disrupting its internal democracy. When in 2011 the party abandoned its zoning formula, the party dealt on itself a major

‘There are many corrupt persons around Buhari’

‘Education not sole responsibility of government’ ith the paucity of funds in the state, we had to face the reality that we could not continue to sponsor children without involving their parents in a way. This is why we introduced the developmental levy. It’s just for a period of time. As soon as things improve for the state financially, we will put it down. It is an emergency situation that we must address.

“Training of children is not the sole responsibility of government or teachers, parents must play their role too. We

—Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, Acting Chairman of PDP BoT

discussed with the parents and realised that because parents are not involved in secondary education of their children, they no longer bother what happens to them.

“We set up a committee to discuss with Parents Teachers Association, community leaders, individual parents and so on. Interestingly, many of the parents felt that if they were also contributing by paying something, they would be more attentive to the education of their children.”

“M

y fear is that there are so many corrupt persons around Buhari and in APC and PDP while he has

deliberately decided to limit his probe of corrupt persons to only those who served under Jonathan. This is very sad and a clear evidence of selective trial of opponents.

“For Buhari to be taken seriously in the fight against corruption, he must examine and convince himself that he is sincere and ready to conduct a fair trial of corrupt persons, irrespective of their party affiliation and status in society.

“I will advise Buhari to convince himself that he is morally and politically capable to undertake the responsibility of cleaning up Nigeria. I will ask him to constitute a government of national unity involving all the political parties in Nigeria in the task of rebuilding Nigeria.”

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August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Living

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 22, 2015

17

Virginity: Old practice, modern curio

Swazi virgins in traditional dance

Patiently staying sexless until wedding night is one of the priceless African customs that were displaced by foreign ways of life. But now, young ladies and organizations are championing revival and rebirth of the old practice that promotes health and purity in Nigerian women, writes JULIET UMEH.

A

denike lives in harmony and peace with her husband, Obafemi at Ibadan, Oyo State capital. She says that no word has ever passed between them that was not affectionate and kind.

Their marriage is a reference point on mutual love, communication and understanding. Recently when she gave birth to a baby boy, their first child after 10 years in marriage, Obafemi declared before the crowd of well-wishers that the secret of his fascination and trust in his wife was not her beauty and noble character alone, but because she was a virtuous and upright lady, who never had the experience of sex until they became married. Some of their visitors became shocked with surprise; mouths of others were agape while not a few were thanking God for their blessed marriage.

Narrating the magic behind her tenacity, Ibrahim said: “Honestly, most times I

used to be shy of my status, but I am not regretting it. Most guys always say they want to date me, but most times, I tell them I have a stable boy friend and I don’t want to double date.”

On how she relates with friends that have lost their virginity, she responded, “I know some of my friends have been deflowered, but most are also virgins, but I know it is not the wish of a few of them who are not virgins. Sometimes, when I tell them guys are mounting pressure on me, they advise that I shouldn’t make the same mistake they had made.

However, it is interesting to know that she is in a relationship, but according to her, that has not given her the motivation to compromise her resolution despite the pressure from a former fiancé. In fact, Ibrahim said her stubborn persistence has helped her to separate the sheep from the goats among the many men seeking

her hand in marriage.

Taking a trip down memory lane, she narrated her past love life, she said: I was in one relationship before. The guy started disturbing that he wanted to have sex with me, but I reminded him of my resolve not to have premarital sex. When he insisted, I advised him that if he could not wait till we are married, we could go for a court marriage because it costs less. He was however bent on sexual relations, but after

and even her younger sister has not been defiled. She gave credit to her mother for bringing them up in the way of the Lord.

The resolution to be sexless is not only Ibrahim’s. Last weekend, in an event where virgins were celebrated, more than 50 ‘pure’ and ‘untouched’ young, brilliant, modern and exquisitely dressed ladies from Lagos and beyond, participated in a beauty pageant tagged Miss Virginity 2015. The event, which took place at Su-

I feel honoured for holding on to that principle of pride, where I can stand upright, raise my shoulders high that I am still a virgin. It means I know my worth and my essence and that goes to say that I have control over my body

some arguments and my decision to stand my ground, he left, but went about spreading the news among his friends that I was “stingy’,” she said.

Ibrahim’s family however has other virgins. She told Saturday Mirror that two of her elder sisters married as virgins

rulere Local Government Council, Onilegogoro, Lagos, saw Musumola Oladipo, 19-year-old Ogun State indigene clinch the first position. The 200 Level student of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH) School of Nursing, Idi-Araba, was crowned Miss CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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August 22, 2015

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‘Where are the virgins?’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Virginity 2015 based on her pretty appearance, poise and intelligence while 15-yearold Adebusola Kasim, of Ogudu Senior Grammar School became the first runnerup and Ikimat Isiaka, 15, of IFS College Owode Ajegunle Ikorodu, won the third position.

Reacting on how she felt being Miss Virginity 2015, Oladipo answered: “I feel honoured for holding on to that principle of the pride, where I can stand upright, raise my shoulders high that I am still a virgin.

It means I know my worth and my essence and that goes to say that I have control over my body,” she said.

While explaining how she guarded her virginity status despite pressure from both male admirers and some of her colleagues, who must have lost their dignity, she said: “One thing I learnt from my mother is that you don’t drive them away or become too proud. You just sit them down and ask them why they want to date you. Then you make them see reasons. I do tell them that I can’t have a misplaced priority now because my focus is my education,” Oladipo said. She said some of her friends who had lost their virginity pride see it as a norm, maturity, and being sociable. But it is none of those points,” she said.

In her advice, she wants young girls to know that being ‘holy’ sexually is not actually for their parents, but for themselves and their future. She promised to use the opportunity to draw awareness to girls that virginity is still in vogue and celebrated.

Some of the proud mothers of the undefiled girls were at the event to watch their children as they were being celebrated.

Mrs Funke Adenugba Sanwo, mother of 15-year-old virgin, Faith, was so excited that her daughter was among the sexually untainted. “In fact I am very happy. Most girls of age 10 have also lost their virginity in our society today. You discover that even some in JSS 1or 2 carry pregnancy. So I am very much impressed about this laudable programme which is teaching girls how they can guard their bodies jealously and also teach them that our body is the temple of God,” she said. She also stated that she encourages her daughter morally, financially and spiritually. “I also teach her to be content with what I give her because men can use gift as little as N200 to entice them,” she said.

For Mrs. Titilaye Abdluraman, another joyful mother of a virgin, 18-year-old Fatiat, she said, “I always tell her that whatever goes around comes around. I advise her to beware of men’s enticing and deceitful words because immediately they get what they want, they will move over to another girl. I do help her by providing certain things that she might need. I do things within my limit to satisfy her, but I provide her basic needs,” she emphasised.

The founder of the programme, Princess Adunni Adediran, glad at the impressive turnout of guests, was so happy that ‘Appreciating and Honouring Virgins,’ the programme, which started in 2007, is yielding positive results as it marked the 8th year. Speaking on her aim of sponsoring a programme that emphasises sexual appropriateness among youths, she told Saturday Mirror that it was to achieve peace in humanity.

“If you don’t have sex before marriage, there will be peace in your husband’s house. There will be no room for suspicion

even when you go out. Your life will be sexually transmitted diseases-free. Young girls who are victims of Vesico vaginal fistula (VVF) will be free from the disease, a condition in which anus cuts along the line with vagina during childbirth. This happens because the mother is not old enough to have a baby.

“Barrenness is rampant now because there is large scale abortion and diseases. By abiding by our teachings, insanity which sets in as a result of heartbreak will not be there. When a man dumps a woman, some girls who can’t take the shock might develop mental problem. Also, there are too many cases of single parents these days because when these boys impregnate them, they would deny and abandon the girls,” she submitted.

The programme, she said, was her spontaneous reaction to the activity of a medical doctor, a co-tenant, who was constantly hosting girls who come for abortion. “I was sad in my spirit and in my heart that I started hearing the voice of the creator which said ‘Go and help them, go and give virgins something, go and praise them’ the dream came 11 times,” she said.

Even in Africa, sexual morality is a virtue, an important part of the societal value system or principles and beliefs that influence behaviour. Among the Yoruba of Nigeria, if a bride is found to be a virgin on the first night after marriage, she is considered acceptable by her husband, his family and friends. The rewards of her chastity are valuable presents which her in-laws take to her family a day after marriage. If however, the bride is found to have lost her maiden head, she is unfriendly treated, sneered at and may be sent home in disgrace. This is a social stigma not only to her, but for all members of family.

In the worship of gods, virgins are mostly preferred to play important roles either to maintain shrines or carry some significant objects because they are considered pure and therefore endowed with higher spiritual power than women who have experienced coitus. Therefore, in traditional religion and worship of gods like Amadioha, Ogun, Oya, Osun, Obatala, Ifa, and so on, devotees that are virgins, during festivals or rituals, are given important responsibilities because of their physical and spiritual cleanliness qualify them for relationship with the gods.

But nowhere are virgins mentioned as beings of uncommon virtues than in the Holy Bible where a virgin, Mary, considered by Catholics as the spiritual mother of the human race, had a wonderful conception through the Holy Spirit that resulted in the birth of Jesus Christ, a man that lived about 33 years, but remains the most popular human being more than two thousand years after his death. Also in the Synoptic gospel, a mention is made of the Ten Virgins, a parable that illustrates the character of a wise servant, but its major lesson is the ability to resist temptation successfully by preparing oneself in the common duties of life.

The world has however become permissive and sexual promiscuity reigns.

“No doubt virginity among females is no longer valued because many girls have acquired contact with the West values which directly conflict with traditional cultures in Africa. In America today, most girls have their first experience of sex at the age of 14,” Azuka Amameze, a sociologist informed. “The case in Nigeria may

Mosumola Oladipo (middle) the winner of Virginity 2015 and 1st and 2nd Runners-up

however not be different because globalisation has made it possible for foreign cultures to get to be accessed by youths easily through the Internet. Also in many Nigerian streets are freely displayed X-rated films, advertisements that glorify sex with the opposite sex, blaring music that broadcast messages that are related to sex and sex images in form of posters and pictures are found everywhere, how then can the population of virgins increase?” Amamize asked.

Giving credence to the fact that virginity might have become an old culture in Nigeria is Dr. Mrs. Oluwayemisi Pitan, an associate professor in Guidance Counselling, currently with National Open University of Nigeria. She recalled that when she went to counsel a particular school, not up to two virgins were found in the whole of Junior Secondary School 1 and 2.

She therefore advised girls to avoid some things that might lure them to lose their pride such as skimpy dresses, lone walk in the dark, associating with promiscuous friends, visiting immoral places and what eating foods or taking drinks that change

Hawa Ibrahim, 28-year-old virgin

their feelings. She also said they shouldn’t be too proud.

“Virginity is a pride, but there is a time for a girl child to get married. So, girls should not be fool of themselves. They should not plan to carry virginity to eternity. At a point in time in their lives, they will lose the virginity to marriage. It is a pride to take it into marriage, but they should not let it to be too late. That is to say that at a time in their lives, they will see some guys coming to talk to them, telling them they like them, love them and want to marry them. They should make sure they are approachable and accessible,” Dr Pitan added.

But among young unmarried women, sexual desire becomes to be felt when they reach puberty. At this period, their desire is for family, a home, and for love and respect. Women have a much greater sense of responsibility towards the sex act realising more fully its importance and implications. “Young women, if they give in to this temptation, usually do so in the first instance, not because of their own sexual desire, but because they wish to please the man who they think is in love with them,” said Deaconess Dupe Taiwo, a marriage counselor.

This assertion however does not hold for all ladies. According to 18-year-old Maryam Idris, the story she hears about sex has continued to scare her away from it. She said: “I’m still a virgin maybe because of what I used to hear about sex.

Again, the day I followed my mother to one general hospital, one girl that wanted to put to bed was crying because of the pain she was going through,” she said. The trauma of that experience has continued to haunt her as Idris does not even know when her own virginity will last. Talking about how long she wants to hold on to it she said, “I don’t know, even if I am married, I am just scared from what I saw and that giving birth is what is scaring me,” she insisted. But speaking on how she is coping with sex urge, Fatiat Abdulraman, 18-year-old student of University of Ilorin, Kwara State, answered: “There is nothing to cope about. It is really easy. As for my girl friends, I don’t care what they have to say, it is what I choose to be.”

Sex is a private decision; therefore how long a lady decides to retain her virginity depends on the attraction sex and the urge

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LIVING

August 22, 2015

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Kerosene turns to gold ...families groan Eric Elezuo

K

erosene, to many homes, is nothing less than a staple. Just like rice is the staple food to most Nigerian homes, so is kerosene the preferred or staple cooking ingredient in majority of Nigerian homes.

Following the euphoria and criticisms that greeted the Federal Government’s release of a good number of cookstoves in the recent past, it is obvious that very many Nigerians, especially women, use kerosene fuelled cooking equipment, ranging from stoves, firewood or sawdust.

The above being the case, it is therefore supposed that kerosene being the major cooking fuel for the less or under privileged members of the society, its price should be well below the roof. Unfortunately, like every other commodity or service needed by the lower class, its price has not only hit the roof, but has soared far above the roof to the detriment of the common of the country.

Even when most women are willing to buy at whatever price because of the absence of a veritable alternative, the product is nowhere to be found, raising questions of the viability of the regulatory authorities and the government in general.

In the last couple of weeks, the price of a litre of kerosene, known in the downstream sector as Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), has gone for a whooping N160 at filliing stations while road side retailers sell as high as between N180 and N200 depending on the bargaining power

of the hapless consumer.

The development has hit the Lagos suburbs and other major cities within the country like a bolt of the blue, housewives being the worse for it.

At the FESTAC area of the Lagos metropolis, a resident, Mrs. Janet Ebeh, lamented the high cost of the product, saying that her household finds it difficult to cook as they use to these days.

She said that since the indiscriminate increase in the price of DPK, economic wisdom has suddenly dawned on her, and that includes skipping cooking, which invariably means skipping meals.

“My children feel the pains most because most of the times I deliberately skip cooking, thereby denying them of meals. This is because I have to think of how much kerosene we have and how long it will supposedly last. Therefore, cooking as we use to will mean spending so much of the already scarce resources on kerosene, where it is even found. This is economic sense,” she said.

While it cannot be expressly declared that so and so are responsible for the

price hike and its scarcity, petroleum experts agreed that the price is nothing close to friendly to the average citizen.

Mr. Maxwell Osinbajo, a petroleum products dealer at the Apapa area of Lagos agreed that the product has suddenly disappeared from the Nigerian market, saying that a lot of factors might be responsible, including the fact that a restructuring is ongoing at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Petroleum Pipeline Management Corporation (PPMC).

“The recent scarcity however, could be due to the restructuring processes going on at the NNPC, PPMC and other government agencies like DPR & PPPRA. Prior to the rehabilitation of the refineries, the product has always been imported by some assigned marketers in mother vessels with capacity of 50,000mt which is about 60,000,000 litres. From this, allocations are given to smaller marketers who are supposed to be depot owners or have arrangements with any approved depot. They, in turn take smaller vessels

I noticed that each time I give my wife N1000 for our normal ‘small’ pot of soup, she comes back asking for more because

N400 has already gone into kerosene.

The situation is not palatable. It is eating deep into our finances, especially low income earners like me

known as daughter vessels to pick the quantity allocated to them in the neighbourhood of 5000mt per allocation and the allocation is done in a way that all parts of the country would have the product in their depots to serve the masses.

“With the ongoing restructuring of the flagship corporation , and the issue of subsidy, which is yet to be resolved, the possibility of the situation continuing is rife as there may be a delay in the importation of the product even as the refineries are not functioning optimally,” Osinbajo said.

The issue of who is responsible for the plight has raised dust which the average Nigerian housewife is unconcerned about rather asking when and how the issue will be reolved.

Mrs. Chidera Oguchukwu recounted how her family has resorted to the use of firewood fuel for its cooking in the last couple of weeks following the price hike, saying that no matter what happens, ‘man must wack’.

“This kerosene issue is really a case.

I don’t understand why that particular commodity which the common man uses should be the one that always becomes scarce. But no matter what they do, man must wack because absence of food is invitation to illness and of course, death, and one cannot eat uncooked food you know. We are no longer in the stone age,” she submitted.

Another petroleum company worker, who prefers anonymity believes that the price hike and its unavailability goes beyond the restructuring of petroleum regulating bodies or uncertain issue of subsidy, saying that sabotage is not completely ruled out. He explained that this product is most of the times CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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‘Some people benefit immensely from kerosine scarcity’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

diverted, making it impossible to get to their distinct destinations, thereby depriving the resident of the said areas of its availability. Again, when it is actually distributed, it passes through as many as three middlemen, who are in the habit of adding their personal percentages to the original price. The price would have gone top of the roof by the time it gets to the final consumer.

“The act of sabotage is not ruled out in the present kerosene crisis and others like it in the past. The truth remains that there are people who benefit immensely by this scarcity, and they are willing to do nothing to stop it. Again, there is the issue of middlemen, who top up the price outrageously to suit their selfish aims.

Consequently, by the time the product gets to the final consumer, the price is nowhere friendly,” he said.

It is not however, only the women folk that are hit the hardest, the men, bachelors and married, are also feeling the impact of the unwholesome scarcity.

Mr. George Duru, who lives near Badagry near Lagos, is a civil servant, serving with Kankon Model College. He was hitherto unaware of the situation because he was not used to buying household things for the family until his wife began to make more demands than usual. He had to ask, and the reality of the kerosene issue confronted him.

“I noticed that each time I give my wife N1000 for our normal ‘small’ pot of soup, she comes back asking for more because N400 has already gone into kerosene. The situation is not palatable. It is eating deep into our finances, especially low income earners like me,” he lamented.

In Ilorin, Kwara State, the product sells for N155 off filling station, and much more among retailers.

Mrs. Eunice Oyediran, a resident of Ilorin, said that it has become increasingly difficult to buy the product for keeps or in large quantities, adding that her household buys the little quantity they could use at the moment, even as little as half litre.

Mrs. Chinwe Okemmiri is a kerosene retailer. She told Saturday Mirror that for some time now, she had had the financial muscle to continue the business, as the price has gone beyond his reach. More so, consumers prefer to go to the fuel stations to procure the product and by so doing, save a little cost. Consequently, life has become unbearable for her and her family as the petty kerosene business is their major family economy.

“We are really suffering the hazards of the present kerosene scarcity. I have expended all my capital, and yet the customers are not buying because they prefer to buy from the filling stations, no matter how far, just to save cost, even if it means trekking. We need help. The government must resolve this issue,” she said.

At Admiralty Way, Lekki, a resident who responded to Saturday Mirror claimed

ignorance of the use kerosene, saying she ceased using the product long before now, urging Nigerians to follow suit, and switch to gas use because according to her, it is cheaper.

“Nigerians should understand that the use of gas is cheaper, available and user-friendly. For me, I stopped using kerosene long ago, and I don’t have any regret whatsoever. These marketers are cheating the people with this kerosene thing because they know that a majority of citizens use it. It is not fair.” She said.

At the Apapa depot, an official explained the hows and whys of kerosene circulation.

“DPK, also known as Dual Purpose Kerosene is of two types: HHK=House hold kerosene used for cooking and industrial use and ATK=Aviation Turbine Kerosene otherwise known as JetA1 used by aviation industry. DPK is a subsidized

product unlike AGO (automated gasoline oil) which is commonly known as diesel.

The government regulates it and pays the supposed subsidy to marketers, who are expected to be depot owners. Petroleum Product Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and Department of Petroleum Resources DPR are agencies saddled with the responsibility of regulating the dispensing of this product with respect to pricing, quantity and equitable distribution of the product to different parts of the country. While PPPRA ensures that depots don’t sell above the sealing price of N50/litre, DPR ensures that trucks are loaded with the accurate quantity and taken to their appropriate destinations and that shipment actually gets to the designated depot to avoid diversions,” he said.

He further clarified that the ongoing

My children feel the pains most because, most of the time, I deliberately skip cooking, thereby denying them of meals. This is because I have to think of how much kerosene we have and how long it will last

restructuring in the downstream sector and the calm surrounding the subsidy question have done a lot to intensify the ongoing crisis.

“These had led to a gap in the distribution of DPK. Prior to this time, the issue of the allocation passing through many hands had contributed to price hike because at times it goes through three middle men to get to the consumers. Well, right now there is every tendency that all government agencies are sitting up which means even if the allocation goes through middlemen, the marketer will bear the brunt because the price monitoring team will ensure that it is not sold beyond N50/litre”.

He also called on the masses to beware of the kerosene they buy as most marketers are busy selling the ATK instead of the HHK. But the case is far from what the oil expert described as the product is neither sold for N50 per litre or is within buying reach.

In Aba, Port Harcourt and many other areas including the rural areas, the situation remains the same as housewives, breadwinners and bachelors lament the hike, saying it is digging a deep hole in the already porous pocket of the Nigerian citizen.

Entervaganza

The Saturday Mirror Magazine

Sex talk 18 sex tips for girls, from guys P.32

Fashion

Get lost in style P.28

Relationships

Are overweight and obesity factors in lovemaking?

P.32

Toni

... sweet and sultry

22

ENTERVAGANZA

August 22 , 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Celebrity

It’s costing me $62m to bring dinosaurs to Nigeria —‘Lade Adeyemi

When American author Michael Crichton wrote the novel, Jurassic Park, which was about dinosaurs, it became an instant bestseller because dinosaurs which are now extinct are fascinating to humans. Now, ‘Lade Adeyemi tells OSEYIZA OOGBODO that he’s bringing dinosaurs to Nigeria. So, if you run into him, just call him ‘Dinosaur Man.’ You are said to be establishing a dinosaur park.

Yes. Yes. The dinosaur theme park is one of the innovations of the First Empire Group which I represent. It’s the first animatronic theme park in Africa. It’s going to be situated in Lagos. It’s called the Lekki Dinosaur Park. There will be about thirtytwo different dinosaurs in it and they’ll be as they were over a thousand years ago.

They move, talk, run, and these are dinosaurs that existed in Nigeria and Africa.

And so what we’re trying to do is to give Nigerians a feel of what it was like in Nigeria in 1,000 B.C. And to also create a tourism and leisure atmosphere where families can bond, couples can bond, old and young can celebrate and enjoy themselves in an atmosphere that’s very natural and serene and clean. We intend to launch this project officially before the end of the year. And it also seeks to bring in foreigners to also come and have a feel of this theme park. We already have, from our business analyses, intending visitors from the west, east and even South Africa coming to Nigeria just because of this theme park. We’ve established a very well-thought-out layout plan.

We’re working in line with international best practices. On our team, we’ve sound tourism professionals who’re even part of the World Disney Park in Orlando. And so internally, we’ve very good hands. Myself, Dimeji Oganla, Babatunde Odumuyiwa, Sade Afilaka. We’re a combination of different expertise, as well as our international consultants. And so this is one of our projects that we’re very happy about, we can’t wait for it to start, we’re gonna hold with the address and other things for now so that we keep Nigerians in suspense, but watch out, the First Empire Group is here to stay.

How many years has this park been in the making?

We’ve been on it for about six years.

We’ve had visits to Australia, United States, Dubai and twice even to Kenya, trying to learn from other people’s mistakes and what they’ve done right. Because this is not only a theme park for dinosaurs alone.

It’s gonna be a theme park and a resort.

We’re also gonna be launching the first cruise line in Nigeria. It’s called the Empire Cruise. It’s gonna be a cruise line that’ll take Nigerians from the Atlantic into the open sea with a live band on board, swimming pool, a club and so on. As much as we, none of us is up to fifty years old, but we’re a combination of different experiences and that’s exactly what we’re bringing to the table.

You know, exposure, is a school on its own. It’s a university on its own. My

humble self, Oganla, Odumuyiwa, Afilaka, we’ve travelled far and wide, we’ve experienced different atmospheres, you know, and we’re bring all these to the table, not because we’re businessmen or women, but because we believe that Nigerians deserve a better life. They deserve quality in lifestyle. And what we’re doing is to create that opportunity where Nigerians can enjoy themselves and also have what others in developed countries are enjoying.

How much is it costing you?

Well, this is a project that’s gonna that … as much as I shouldn’t … or that I wouldn’t want to tell you the figures, you know, of the cost of the project, but it’s a project that’s costing us about 62 million US dollars. I’ve been drinking garri in order to make it a reality, because you know what banks are with their interest rates, but we’re in good stead, and hopefully, within the first five years, we probably wouldn’t drink garri for too long.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

August 22, 2015

Who is blowing his trumpet?

•I made over N80m from music production —Terry G … and I make N300,000 daily from my pure water company

I

f there’s one thing that’s true of entertainers, it’s that they like to make people think they are more they really are. This leads to them lying about the position of their income and all that.

They deceive their colleagues more especially.

And now, Free Madness singer, Terry G, has told some of his colleagues that he made over N80m as a music producer and that it’s what he used to build houses for his parents, himself, a school for his mother and also to take care of his family.

According to him, it was also out of this money, and several millions more maid as a recording and performing artist as well, that he established a pure water company which now fetches him N300,000 on a daily

basis.

There’s no doubt that G is one of the nation’s most successful music personalities.

Though he doesn’t seem to be as visible and in-demand as he once was, he’s said to still be performing regularly and he told the same set of his colleagues that he doesn’t collect anything below N1m for a show because he’s financially secure now so he can afford to pick and choose.

And speaking on his recent collaboration song, Knack Am, with Wizkid, Phyno and Runtown, he said Wizkid stayed two days in his house during which time he recorded his part of Knack Am and that he ended up putting his golden vocals on five of G’s songs during the twoday period.

Oritsefemi on warpath with Kiss Daniel’s label

G

2face turns 40 … plans massive fanfare Oritsefemi

T

he last has not been heard of the finance-induced crises between Woju singer, Kiss Daniel, and the record label which brought him to limelight, G-Worldwide.

In the last few weeks, the news broke suddenly that Daniel, despite his celebrity status, is struggling to make ends meet because his label doesn’t really give him money as they said they are yet to make back the money invested on and in him.

To say the least, Daniel’s colleagues and fans were taken aback by the shocking disclosure that he was wallowing in want despite the success that has come to

Daniel

him from his smash hits, Woju Woju Remix featuring Davido and Tiwa Savage, and Laye.

Obviously concerned, Double Wahala singer, Oritsefemi, has come to Daniel’s aid by helping him get a show for which he was paid N1.5m and which his label doesn’t know about so the money went straight into Daniel’s pocket alone.

This practice, of artists making money they don’t let their labels know of, always get them into trouble with their labels and it’s certain that G-Worldwide will not be happy with Oritsefemi for helping Daniel make money they don’t know about.

to mark milestone

O

ne of Nigeria’s and Africa’s most successful music artists, African Queen singer, 2face Idibia, has disclosed that he will attain the milestone age of 40 years next month on the 18th.

And in celebration of the big 40, has planned a number of activities that will make his 40th birthday memorable not just for him and his family and colleagues but his fans as well.

Fortyfied is his tag for all the activities combined, and they will include a flag-off party, book presentation, Red Cross Support Day and All-Star Tribute Concert.

Happy birthday in advance, 2.

2face

24

August 22, 2015

CLASSICAL LYRICS

E-NEWS

Flesh battle

Oyari

Artist: Dr SID featuring Tiwa Savage

… struggling entertainers Toni Tones, Beverly Osu get really desperate

F

or some time now, relatively known female singer, Toni Tones, has been trying her best to become a genuinely established singer.

So far, she hasn’t achieved that aim which has been achieved by Yemi Alade, Cynthia Morgan, Seyi Shay and just a few other female singers.

But since winners never quit, and quitters never win, Tones hasn’t quit trying to become musically successful.

And she has really tried. She has done everything her now-successful counterparts have done. She has released song after song, keeps making appearances at industry events and even employed the sexy strategy time after time.

Right now, she seems to be getting really desperate for music success, and she has taken the sexy strategy a notch higher with her latest pictures to promote her latest song, Hey Boy, slated for release during the week. The pictures, released last week, expose quite a lot of her flesh and have got men salivating over them.

But while Tones was diplomatically sensible with her flesh expose, Big Brother Africa participant, Beverly Osu, the girl who set the ignominious record of being the first Nigerian to kiss and engage in X-rated activities on BBA, went all the way with her own flesh expose pictures released this

E tu je ki kini me yari E tu je ki kini me yari Mo gbe, O pari E gba mi E gba mi E tu je ki kini me yari E tu je ki kini me yari Looky look at me baby You wanna just dey undress me Licky licky licky baby That’s why you call me sweetie ehn ehn ehn My booty killing it yea yeah Mo ti de o ti kpari ehn ehn I see looky looky I know You wanna just dey undress me…yea ye ayea Tones

Osu

week.

She went totally nude, and only deigned to hide her extremely private parts in a way that was obvious that she was totally nude otherwise.

These two are the latest female entertainers to employ the sexy strategy to get themselves noticed, and if they were to be rated, Osu definitely carried the day over Tones.

her latest pictures to declare her comeback bid.

But will she be able achieve music success again, or will it be mission impossible, as most musicians like her who tried to make comebacks, failed?

Time will tell on that score.

The worst thing, however, is that she was the one who quit music of her own volition because she claims she was “previously getting it wrong until she surrendered it all to God.” Oh well, we can only hope for her that she will get it right now, if she does recover the music glory that was once her lot.

O

You know say I no dey tire Baby boo I’m here forever Me and you no go expire Nobody nobody nobody can take this You know say I no dey tire Baby boo I’m here forever Me and you no go expire Nobody nobody nobody can take this ah E gba mi Oyari E gba mi Oyari Ma ma je ki kini mi yari To ba tu yari e ma funmi miliki E gba mi Oyari E gba mi Oyari

Azeezat

AY allegedly buys G-Wagon for birthday

AY with the G-Wagon

To ba tu yari e ma funmi miliki E gba mi E gba mi

… Azeezat in comeback bid

T

Continued from last week

Mo gbe, O pari

Mission impossible? here’s no doubt that one-time popular singer, Azeezat, is an extremely talented singer. Back in the day, her talent spoke for her, and she scored a number of smash hits, especially the number, Lonely World.

But a popular adage says that ‘whatever goes up must come down,’ and this has been the case with Azeezat.

From being a popular singer, she’s now a singer who is remembered just because of her past success.

Now, she desires to reclaim the music success she had, and she’s ready to fight for it. To this end, she has released a set of

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ne of the hottest news this week is that A-list comedian, AY, has bought and presented himself with a Mercedes Benz G-Wagon for his birthday which was during the week on August 19th.

Though AY posted a picture of himself posing with the luxury vehicle, it’s very difficult with entertainers of his caliber to ascertain if he actually bought it himself, if it was given to him, or if he borrowed it.

No matter how he got it, he has it.

Many happy returns, AY.

Ma ma je ki kini mi yari To ba tu yari e ma funmi miliki Mo gbe, o pari E gba mi E gba mi E tu je ki kini me yari E tu je ki kini me yari Mo gbe, o pari E gba mi E gba mi E tu je ki kini me yari E tu je ki kini me yari Concluded

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

E-NEWS

August 22, 2015

25

Project Fame update

Jennifer and Deborah are first to be evicted ... Richie, Tejiri back on probation

The contestants on probation

J

ennifer and Deborah have become the first contestants to be evicted from the ongoing music talent hunt, Project Fame West Africa.

The elimination show, which drives home the point of the competitive side of PFWA, held last Saturday, and two out of the five contestants that were placed on probation the previous week ended their journey in the competition after they were eliminated.

The contestants not on probation opened the elimination show as they teamed up for their first group performance, a medley of Chris Brown’s Deuces and Beyonce’s End Of Time, which was delivered in flawless harmony.

Tejiri, Richie, Jennifer, Deborah, and Kumi then performed one after the other, for a chance to redeem themselves and remain in the competition. Afterwards, the judges and faculty attested to the fact that their performances were much better than the ones that landed them on probation.

Then Tejiri was revealed to have garnered the highest votes from the viewers, Kumi was given a second chance by the faculty, and that left the fates of Deborah, Richie, and Jennifer in the hands of their fellow contestants. Eventually, Richie was saved by the contestants as he had more votes than the rest.

Without a choice, Deborah and Jennifer expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to be on a platform as huge as Project Fame, and they each performed for the last time

before they took a bow. Deborah performed Have You Ever by Brandy, while Jennifer performed Best Thing I Never Had by Beyonce.

With the evictions having brought it home to bear on the remaining

contestants that they have to bring their A-game to every one of their performances, as the competition is obviously now not just about having the ability to sing well, but to also showcasing related essential skills, it was obvious that last Sunday’s nomination show was going to be supercharged, and it was indeed.

The show kicked off with the grand entry of the hosts, Joseph Benjamin and Bolanle Olukanni, who were well-dressed as always. Quickly, they made welcome the illustrious judges, faculty members, esteemed audience and also announced that the remaining 14 contestants were ready to thrill everyone.

Going straight into the business of the day, Jeff opened the show with There Goes My Baby by Usher. Biko followed with the rendition of I Wanna Love You by Akon. In quick successions, Arewa did Where Do Broken Hearts Go by Whitney Houston while Pearl performed I Bet by Ciara.

Her twin sister Ruby followed suit with Celine Dion’s All By Myself.

Kumi, who just got back from probation, had Talking About Revolution

by Tracy Chapman and Ada performed Drunk In Love by Beyonce.

With these first set of performances, the atmosphere became really charged and exciting.

Anderson then came up to perform Chris Brown’s Crawl, Deinde: Crazy by KC and Jojo, Tejiri: All At Once by Whitney Houston, Chike: The Man by Aloe Blacc, Richie: No One Else Comes Close by Joe, Oluchi: Nicki Minaj’s Pills And Potions and Joy closed the show with a beautiful rendition of A Long Walk by Jill Scott.

Though they all gave their best, Chike, Deinde, Richie, Tejiri, Oluchi and Ruby were adjudged the worst of them and they are now facing elimination which comes up later tonight and that only their guardian angels will save some of them from.

Diamond embarrassed again … gets paid back in his own coin?

T alented Tanzanian singer, Diamond Platnumz, who declared recently that he won’t be working with Nigerian artists again, shortly after E-News published a story that his success is based on his attachment to Nigerian artists that include Davido and Flavour, is in the news again for an unsavory reason again.

Though it’s been widely accepted that his lover is pregnant, and when she delivered a baby girl for him quite recently, everyone congratulated him, another man, King Lawrence, has now come out to challenge Diamond’s paternity of the child.

Claiming that the child is his, and that he’s ready to sponsor DNA tests in Uganda, South Africa and America to prove it, Lawrence said he’ll only be satisfied the child is not his after DNA tests prove otherwise.

Reacting, Diamond said Lawrence is only trying to become popular

through his allegation leveled at him (Diamond).

If this is truly the case, then it would seem that Diamond is only getting paid back in his own coin. On his rise to fame, he also claimed to be a close friend of P-Square and said he was at Peter P-Square’s wedding only for P-Square to come out and say that they don’t know who he is, and it was quite embar rassing Diamond for him.

26

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Directing palaver

•Severe criticism trails Juliet Ibrahim’s latest field … ‘you are the worst actress’

S

exy actress, Juliet Ibrahim, is one actress who must be used by now to being criticized over what she says or does.

For instance, when she took up music, she was lambasted by music lovers who shredded her because they said she couldn’t sing.

She however took it in her stride and continued recording songs and releasing music videos.

Now, she has ventured into another field which has also led to her critics tearing her apart again with extremely sever comments.

The beautiful Ibrahim’s latest field is one which’s related to her most popular field: acting. It’s directing.

She’s directing and producing a TV series, Every Woman Has A Story, and it’s her first effort at directing.

EWHAS is the story of five women and everything, everything, about them. Their families, relationships, careers, issues, everything.

And so the criticisms began with EWHAS’ storyline: “Sounds like the Lekki Wives series. Good luck to her.”

This observation was probably the kindest of all the reactions on Bella Naija. The rest there were quite brutal.

“Money talks and bulls**t works.

Juliet that cannot act to save a life,” was another one.

Others were: “Like I said to Chika Ike, Yvonne Nelson, and so on, use all the money you got to take intensive acting courses because you can’t act to save your life and now you want to produce a movie. It’s always the mediocre actresses who get money and want to produce as our industry gets bombarded with movies not worth a pot to piss in. Same ole junk.”

And: “Yes I’m pissed because our industry keeps being saturated with junk, and no one wants to speak up on the quantity bulls**t we get bombarded with. Take Yvonne Nelson movies for instance. They’re enough to make

you wanna pull your hair out. And now we got the worst actress amongst them producing.”

And: “Some of the characters in it (Esinam, Stella and Patricia) sound like characters from Tyler Perry’s movie, Single Mums Club.”

And: “Ghollywood should come up with a more original storyline. This is Lekki Wives all the way.”

And: “Another story, another relationship palaver.”

And: “Another relationship palaver.

Oh my dear. I tire no be small. And not that they will tell it in a fresh and original way. SAME OL’ S*** AND NONSENSE.” And: “This is not an original storyline. This is like every show on television. Call me when you people have come up with an interesting storyline for a TV series.”

And one which would have been supportive, but is in fact a criticism: “Seriously, you guys have gone too far. Haba, na wetin be your problem?

If she get money wey she no know how to use am, but she want to make movie,

na which one be our own.

Please, please if you don’t have nice things to say about people, don’t say anything at all. Africans, we dey talk mu kasaaaaa.”

So, are these extremely h a r s h criticism justified?

Ibrahim

Marriage affects Gbenro Ajibade on Tinsel

E

Ajibade

verything has both its good and bad sides. So there’s nothing that’s just good alone or bad alone. Likewise, there’s a price to pay for everything we do in life.

Right now, the above are applicable to Tinsel actor Gbenro Ajibade who got married recently and is now paying a careerthreatening price for getting married.

He has to go on honeymoon, and because his character on Tinsel has to be kept alive even in his absence, those behind Tinsel have announced that Tayo Faniran who became popular through his participation in Big Brother Africa will replace him temporarily.

But what if Faniran turns out to be better in the role than Ajibade, will temporarily turn to permanency?

Give it your all, Tayo.

Faniran

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Simply elegant

27

August 22, 2015

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STYLE & GLAM

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fashion

Fashion

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

n frenzy

n frenzy

August 22, 2015

STYLE & GLAM

T

oday’s style has gone beyond the straight jacketed style that can be determined by just anybody. It is a step beyond the ordinary. It is weird, colourful, at the same time simple and extravagant. It plays with colours, texture s and harnesses key shapes and silhouette s that are tailored to th e female body. They ar e ready-to-wear pieces that display confidenc e and make you stand ou t appealing to people in any crowd. They are designed in such ways for great women from the vintage era of th e 60s till date. One th ing you cannot take away from this peculiar outfi t is its ultimate goal to always wow the wear er as well as its beholde rs.

Just take a cue from these models.

n i t s o l t e G

style

29

Fashion Guest

30

STYLE & GLAM

‘I dress the way I want to be addressed’

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

10 reasons climaxing is good for your health

Onome Oluwatoyosi Olanipekun is a graduating student of the University of Lagos where she read Economics. A fashion conscious person, she tells YEMISI ADENIRAN that she believes in the saying that one’s dressing determines how one is addressed, hence her simple, yet unique fashion style.

What does fashion mean to you?

Fashion, to me, means putting on the right accessories and dress for any particular occasion. This means, knowing what occasion you are attending and dressing to meet the standard. You would agree with me that occasions require different dresses. For instance, the way I would dress to a party is different from the way I would dress to class or other related occasions. I can’t set out for a wedding and you will find me in a jeans pant.

If it is a traditional or English dress, so to say, it would be a little gorgeous. When you know the occasion, then you know how to dress for it.

What are some of the fashion materials you cannot afford not to have?

I can’t do without my cream, soap and powder. In fact, for the cream and soap, I have special ones I use because my body reacts to many others. So, I use only the ones that best suit me.

Talking about fashion materials, I cannot do without my earrings.

I always feel a little bit confident with it. And like I said, the occasion determines what I wear. Most times I am on studs for lectures, but when it is a function like a wedding , I put on the dropping ear rings.

What are your beauty tips?

I stick to a particular cream and soap; I am not really a heavy make up person, but I wash my face every night before going to bed to remove the make up and allow my pores to be free.

One finds many people committing fashion errors. What do you have to say?

Some put on one pattern on a different pattern and that is wrong. Once you are on one pattern, you stick to that pattern.

For example, if you are on a leopard skin,

you should not wear a striped material along with it. They commit so much error on make up too. Most people want to try very well on make up and they end up trying too hard and committing errors.

My advice is to remain simple, and if you can’t make up well, call your friends to assist you and you will achieve the effect you want. Because I am on the light side of making up, if I want to go for a special function and I want to look different, I seek the assistance of some of my friends who are better in it.

What impression do you create with your way of dressing?

I believe in dressing according to the way I want to be addressed. I believe if you dress anyhow, you will be addressed anyhow. I dress simple and good. I like to keep my dressing simple and unique.

I don’t over do it because in the process of overdoing it, one might end up doing nonsense and I don’t want to do nonsense.

I like to remain simple, yet unique because I want to be so addressed.

Have you ever been embarrassed over the way you dressed?

Yes. It was a friend’s birthday party and some of my friends called me that we should hang out. I thought we were going for a movie or something, so I dressed casual with a jean and a top.

But when we got to where we were supposed to meet, most of my friends were on gowns and heels. I was really under dressed and I felt very embarrassed and uncomfortable. I took offence and made my friends to know and they apologised, saying the occasion was a last minute development which they did not know that they had not given me the details about.

T

he cocaine effect: Few thrills rival orgasm, but cocaine and indeed, winning truckloads of cash come close. Experts scanned the brains of men, women, and found similar results across both sexes. There is a pleasure circuit in the brain activated by orgasm. The result is a surge in the feel-good reward chemical dopamine in the brain, the same chemical active in drug users pursuit of a fix. It’s the reason sex and orgasm can become so addictive. Winning money, drinking alcohol, taking cocaine, amphetamines and heroin all light up the very same pleasure circuit.’

The love drug: Do you know that postorgasmic love-bomb feeling? It’s chemical too.

Oxytocin is a hormone that is released during childbirth and breast-feeding and after orgasm it’s surging through both of your systems at high speed, underlying that warm, lingering afterglow. If it were bottled, it would really be a love drug. And don’t be fooled by myths about men not feeling lovey-dovey after orgasm. The oxytocin effect is the same in men and women.

Beat the blues: A soaring sexual moonlanding beats the best anti-depressant drug there is. During orgasm, a cocktail of endorphins – also known as the brain’s natural anti-depressants – is released from the brain including serotonin, the key ingredient in anti-depressants. Another hormone release in the lead up to orgasm is prolactin. This is the hormone that is active in breast-feeding women and has an overall calming effect. If you’re stressed before a meeting, you could get busy that morning. It could help a great deal. Plus British researchers found that orgasms could lower blood pressure and stress levels for up to two weeks after the fact.

Better than Valium: It’s not only the man that gets a surge of sleepiness after a bout of horizontal action. Evidence shows even a quickie could help you sleep. The average female orgasm lasts just 25 seconds compared to 15 seconds in men. One study on 2,632 US women found that 39 per cent of those who masturbated did so in order to relax quickly.

No wonder women with insomnia are often advised to use a vibrator before bed.

Strengthens the immune system: Forget Echinacea and Vitamin C, having more orgasms might result in fewer colds and flu. Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of Immumnogobulin A or IgA, an antibodiy found in saliva and nasal lin-

ings that’s a factor in the immune system’s ability to fight bugs.

For glowing skin: The most stellar anti-ageing potion can’t beat that post-coital radiance.

Just ask American musician, Lady Gaga, who last year credited ‘orgasms, lots of orgasms’ as her skin secret. The post-sex glow is a real phenomenon in about 75 per cent of women, says cosmetic dermatologist Dr Mervyn Patterson.

“Orgasm causes increased blood flow to the skin because it stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, causing blood vessels in the skin to open up, giving the face a flushed look,” he says. This effect is evident even if you’re not the one doing all the work and are simply lying on your back, Patterson explains. “Over time, regular orgasms can help the carrying around of nutrients in the blood to the skin. But there’s more. In the lead up to orgasm, your body releases bucket loads of DHEA, an anti-ageing steroid hormone often sold in supplements and purported as the fountain of youth. This is your body’s way of making it naturally,” he says.

Sex helps a sore head: According to Dr Beverly Whipple, the neurophysicist who discovered the G-spot in the late seventies (for the record, it’s on the front wall of the vagina, 5cm from the entrance), women who stimulated this area to orgasm increased their pain threshold by 107 per cent. Plus, one study of 83 women with migraine found that over half experienced relief from pain after the big O. Fertility booster: Of course, IVF proves babies can be made without any sex at all. But according to two British biologists, Robin Baker and Mark Bellis, having an orgasm might help baby-making along. The intrepid researchers discovered what they termed the ‘upsuck theory.’ Simply put, when a woman climaxes any time between a minute to 45 minutes after her partner ejaculates, she retains significantly more sperm than she does after non-orgasmic sex. “Though it’s not confirmed, the theory is that orgasm produces rhythmic contractions of the uterus that pump the sperm up into it making conception more likely,” says Professor Grossman.

Good for the heart: “If you don’t want to have a heart attack, have an orgasm,” is the advice of Dr Lisa Turner, Britain’s first and only Orgasm Coach (yes, there’s such a thing!). “A study in Israel found that women with higher incidence of heart disease had fewer orgasms and vice versa,” she says. “People who have more orgasms feel better about themselves generally.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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August 22, 2015

Male Essentials

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@gmail.com

6

a r o f s e s i c r e ex t s e h c r e bigg

T

here’s much more to chest day than the bench press. Don’t get us wrong: its status as your number one pec-builder is secure. But to bulk up your upper body faster and more effectively, variety is key. We asked celebrity personal trainer Scott Laidler to pick the half dozen moves you need to supercharge muscle growth up top. Chop and change with your regular workout – or combine all six moves into a single savage routine.

Barbell bench press – The classics are there for a reason, but a common mistake is to struggle through your sets with too much weight. “It’s important not to get into the ‘how much do you bench?’ trap,” says Laidler. “Always opt for good

technique and a weight that allows you control as well as a full range of motion.” Keep the bench – you’ll need it later.

Incline bench cable fly – Everyone does cable flys, but few perform them on an incline bench, which isolates your chest further. “Cables are great because they allow your muscles to be under tension throughout the movement,” says Laidler. Never allow the weights to touch down and keep your reps slow. You’ll be cursing us tomorrow, but thanking us next week.

Incline DB bench press –

While the barbell is best for overall strength, shifting a single piece of iron can mask muscular imbalances.

And pressing dumbbells also helps

improve your form for all benching moves. “The varying angles your body covers with this move allows you to stimulate the muscle in a more thorough way,” says Laidler. If you find your form faltering under less weight than you’d normally shift with a barbell, the dumbbells are doing their job.

Decline bench press – “Probably the least used bench variation, the decline barbell bench press allows you to hit your lower chest and draw your back and triceps heavily into the movement,” says Laidler. “This is useful for those interested in powerlifting-style bench strength.” If you’re concentrating on pure strength, stack the weight a bit higher and aim for fewer reps.

Dips for chest – You can take your leave of the bench now. Lean into this classic body weight exercise to shift the focus from your triceps to your chest as you lower. “Perform with your own body weight or add a weighted belt,” suggests Laidler. A dip into body weight territory will pay dividends in the mirror.

Press-up – There’s almost infinite variations of this favourite, but whether you try close-grip, wide-grip, military or spiderman, Laidler advises setting a timer and trying to hit a certain number like 50 (or 100) as fast as you can. Take as much or as little rest as you need to reach your target.

Just don’t give up until you get there.

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August 22, 2015

Relatio

Angle

Male

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com

Are overweight and obesi I

Watch out for ED!

f you have too much body fat, you are obese or overweight, just like millions of people all over the world. It happens because you eat more calories than you use, and your body converts the excess to fat. There are lots of reasons that this can happen.

Our lifestyle may lack exercise or we are given portions that are too big and too caloric when we eat, and some of us are just more efficient genetically at converting food into fat than others. These days, the media and a lot of keepfit enthusiasts have also made the desirability of slim women to be uppermost in people’s minds when it comes to issues relating to sex. This has therefore increased the desirability of slim women by a lot of men. Men believe that a slim woman is definitely a healthy woman even if that may not be the case since a lot of slim women may now even suffer from a medical condition called anorexia.

African cultures a few years back were different on the issue of slim being desirable. Common folklore also partook in creating a different perspective. There’s a popular Yoruba song in the fuji music genre which was all over the airwaves a few years back that if translated meant that it’s the man with the big tummy that money should be given to, respected and even sexually desired. A lot of people took it beyond that to mean that the fat or overweight man should be the one that ladies should flock around because they were supposed to make very good husbands since the general assumption then was that obesity or being overweight connoted wealth and showed a man who could take good care of a woman. Would that this is true but it is far from it. Africans in the past culturally assumed that obesity was the height of sexual attractiveness and some cultures even went as far as creating “fattening rooms” for their young girls to enrich them with the wealth of wisdom of the older married women who would have become obese from the lifestyles they lived as married women within the community. A lady that passed through the fatten-

ing rooms was supposed to look rotund and well fed. This was the height of good health. She was also supposed to become sexually attractive because of the glow of good health that according to the popular myth she would have gotten through being obese or overweight.

It’s also no secret the media has helped in flaunting the idea that thin is sexy, and while beauty remains in the eye of the beholder, there is a definite link between weight gain and sex drive. Sex is physical and requires one to be able to move. Obesity can be physically restrictive and therefore prevent intimacy and sex.

On another level, psychologically speaking, feeling good with oneself through good self esteem that comes from feeling healthy and not overweight will go a long way in increasing the desirability of one and one’s spouse towards love making. A man or woman who is obese psychologically speaking most times after a lot of verbal, emotional and psychological abuse from the generality of the populace will feel unattractive and that will go a long way in determining how that person will react to sexual overtures from the opposite sex.

From the medical field also, it has been proven beyond any reasonable doubts that one’s sex drive is also affected by high blood pressure and diabetes, conditions you’re likely to have if you’re medically unfit and overweight. Additionally, erectile dysfunction can be a problem for as many obese and overweight men.

Other medical conditions such as high cholesterol and insulin resistance which can come from being overweight do have the ability to impact on sexual desire, which in turn impacts on ability to perform, particularly in men. A man who has problems having an erection is going to lose his desire for sex in not too long a time. But be that as it may, the truth about sex is that experience and the will to make your partner enjoy the act in itself and not being selfish are what really matters and not whether one is slim, overweight or obese.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

18 sex tips for girls, from guys

Who better to get advice on how to please your man than from another man? From foreplay to full-on encounters, we’ve scoured the globe for the best male ‘sexperts’ to provide their top tips on how to make your man go wild.

Phone sex: Phone sex may sound corny, but men are basic beasts. When he’s least expecting it, phone him up and breath the sexiest moan down the receiver, saying: ‘I was just thinking of you.’ Then hang up. Make sure it’s your man who answers though!

Keep the area trim: An overgrown bush needs to be avoided at all costs. Think about it, his face will be moving in an upward direction, against the grain, so avoid making him look like he’s put his head into a box of nails. Please keep it smooth for his sake!

Stimulate him visually: Play up to his eyes with a slow, seductive striptease, and watch him go weak at the knees. Don’t worry about labels or expensive lingerie too much. By all means, dress to thrill. But you can just as easily make his heart race by tantalisingly removing your work clothes.

Be uncomplicated: This doesn’t mean you

have to be easy. Men enjoy a challenge, just so long as they know where they stand. So, if you want him to do something to you, he’ll rate you for being up front about it, and eager to oblige.

Surprise! Send him for his shower, and while he’s in there, start undressing. When he walks into the room, he’ll be in for a great surprise.

Surprise him again! Arrange when he comes in from work that you are in your sexiest undies or whatever he likes. Let him take his coat off, then ATTACK HIM! Get in touch with what makes him tick: If he’s not the talkative type, use your hands to find out what works and what doesn’t. Have a fiddle around, and see how he responds.

Guide him by the hand: Showing your man what turns you on can be just as arousing for him. If he’s missing the mark, give him directions. If he can see the pleasure he’s giving

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

RELATIONSHIPS

August 22, 2015

onships

Female

33

Angle

JACQUI IWU 08165049669 email: amiicaregroup@aol.com

ity factors in lovemaking?

Yes, for both men and women!

B

This column is x-rated you, it will boost his confidence and help him to relax.

Lose your inhibitions: Go wild in his hands, and he’ll be sure to rise to the challenge. Even if he’s a little shy himself, by taking the lead, you’ll bring out the best in him.

Pole position: When you’ve grabbed his little guy in your hand, don’t just use an up-and-down motion. For variety, wrap your entire hand around the shaft, and twist up and down like you’re following an imaginary stripe on a pole.

Talk to him: Many men are actually worried about whether they are good enough. If you do think he is, then praise him. Tell him how much you like what he is doing. Slip in some dirty talk. You will get his attention, believe me!

Swallow! Apple, pineapple, watermelon and a host of fruit and food can improve the taste of your partner’s emissions. Beer, red meat, curries and coffee produce the opposite effect. So steer him in the right direction.

Don’t rush him: Afterwards, don’t immediately stop as if it’s suddenly done with and time to clean up. Some men are very sensitive about being shoved aside as if they have outlived their usefulness.

Show him how much you enjoyed the en-

This column is x-rated counter. A wicked cuddle will help.

Start and end it with a kiss: Kiss him before and after, here and there.

Many women don’t know what to do with their mouths! Your guy will give you extra points for being creative with your mouth.

Know the difference between praise and appraisal: If he was great in bed, then let him know. But be tactful if he’s been lacking. If you can be constructive in your criticism, his ego won’t deflate along with his ‘soldier.’

Water music: When using a condom, slip a few drops of a water-based lubricant inside the tip before you slip it on the head. It allows him to manoeuvre comfortably inside. Add some of the same lubricant, too, on the outside of the condom to give yourself a smoother ride.

Soft touch: Buy loads of pillows and experiment with heights, shapes, and widths, so you can use them for extra support during sex, to help give the optimum angle for different positions.

Play all the positions in the field: If you’re bored on your back, then suggest something new. Athletic sex appeals to the sportsman inside every guy. Even if they can’t keep up, they’ll be aroused by your enthusiasm.

eing over-weight is a body and health condition that has robbed lots of people the opportunities of enjoying good life. In Africa, old schoolers still see being overweight as an evidence of good living which makes no sense to those who understands what being overweight is.

Relating overweight or what those in the fitness and wellness business call –obesity to lovemaking and how it affects couples who are married has always been a very sore corner for most married people. Am looking at where either the man or the woman or both are overweight and how it affects their love making as husband and wife.

Love making is approved by God for men and women who are married in the eyes of God and each partner has no right to deprive each other the right to indulge in it happily. There are women who after giving birth to few children fall out of shape and do not look appealing and attrractive to the husband any longer. Their weight even gets to the extent of them not having the stamina to satisfy the husband during love making.

Most times, these women are in a very bad shape that making love does not also appeal to them and when this happens, the marriage relationship suffers. Such women while battling with overweight battles with other health issues as well. They are mostly sick and always complain of exhaustion even to the extent of keep a good body hygiene.

To be honest, being overweight is not something anyone should enjoy even if you want to enjoy it so i wonder why people at this age we are in still see it as an evidence of being wealthy and rich.

Total Crap ...if you ask me!

When a married woman finds her self in this weight mess and refuses to do something about it, her husband has no option than to look outside and seek for a woman who pleases and attracts him sexually. This is not a situation of- if he really loves his wife truly or not. The true love could still be there among them but the woman is just not what she used

to be when the man first met her.

The attraction is no more there and most men in this situation, do not owe anyone any explanation or apology when they keep a mistress outside the marriage.

Such attitude from the man angers the wife and making her to start making torubles with the husband. At this stage, what a sensible woman must do is not to start sniffing if the husband is keeping a mistress or not but rather find solution to her weight problem. I keep telling married women to stop giving child bearing as an excuse to be overweight.

The fact remains that our women eat so much, without caution during pregnancy . After child birth, the voracious eating and sedentary life style continues even more. You see a condition where a woman is out of work for months, breastfeeding the baby and eating more than three times in a day. If you check what they feed on....mostly carbs and lumps of beef with plenty of sugar drinks.

If while pregnant, you were consious of your diet(pregnancy cravings or not) the accumulation of fat will not be too much. Again if after child birth, you start early to watch your diet and keeping active, you will shed off the pregnancy weight faster and easily.

Who says a woman breast feeding should not lose weight? You can if you consult a proffessional body coach to help plan your fitness/ diet regimen that will not affect your breast feeding.

An overweight wife is always a loser when it comes to lovemaking satisfaction in marriage and do not expect your husband to pamper you to lose weight. Fight for your life and keep your marriage.

On the side of the men who are overweight, their own problem is even worse. There are issues of premature ejaculation, fertility and not performing sexually at all.

If such a man happens to have a woman who does not respect him, the woman will be bringing men into his matrimonial home without care. This is the worst insult any wife could give to the husband..if you ask me. Such men should seek proffesional help and counseling.

34

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Woman

What others call challenges are mere stepping stones –Folake Oyemade Folake Oyemade is the Managing Director of Sam and Sara, an organisation which specializes in the production of corporate wears, promotional wears, school uniforms, hospitality uniforms, paramilitary/ security uniforms, professional wears, robes and academic gowns. In this interview with YEMISI ADENIRAN, she speaks on business and family. Excerpts: With a degree in Philosophy, what informed your choice of business?

When I set out to become an entrepreneur, my love for fashion was the inspiration that led me into this line of business. My mother wanted me to study fashion designing and become a professional in that field, but I declined because I didn‘t want to sew. She even gave me the initial capital I used to start my first business.

Unfortunately, the business didn‘t succeed because I refused to compromise. When the government lifted the ban on clothes, I opened Bijoux Unisex Collection and we were the foremost household name in fashion retailing in

those days. During the dark days of the Abacha junta, I had to close all our outlets because the business environment was asphyxiating and I travelled to America. When I came back in 1999 and floated Bijoux again, the business no longer held any attraction to me and the idea of manufacturing high-quality uniforms started to take shape. That was what led to the birth of Sam & Sara.

What were the initial challenges and how were you able to surmount them?

What other people would see as challenges are what I see as stepping stones to the next level. God inspired the vision and inspiration

to set up this business, and making uniforms is an untapped area in the country. The biggest challenge for us was fabrics. We don‘t make fabrics and with the ban on importation of fabrics, we were saddled with taking what the local manufacturers have to offer. While some are doing well, most others aren‘t in terms of quality and delivery; and this is having a crippling effect on the business. Entrepreneurship is a big challenge in this part of the world, but we were able to surmount that too because, in accordance with clients’ needs, we research, develop, design and produce garments to meet the intended purpose and expectations. The

Impresza brand of garments is produced to reflect fine craftsmanship and elegance that suits the aesthetic taste required for a positive and lasting impression. Impresza remains a combination of the finest, durable fabric, the most elegant of designs and fine finishing with emphasis on comfort and affordability. We deliver peace of mind with a considerably low timeline no matter the quantity.

What are the factors that stand your organisation out in the competition?

The quality of our products is the reason why we are the preferred choice for organisations that care about the appearance of their

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

35

August 22, 2015

My mother wanted me to study fashion designing and become a

professional in that field. but declined because

I

I didn‘t want to sew.

She even gave me the initial capital I used to start my first business.

Unfortunately, the business didn‘t succeed, because I refused to compromise

personnel. Repeat businesses and referrals from satisfied clients are testimonies of the ever-present quality associated with the Impresza brand. Each of our products is subjected to intense quality control by our skilled supervisors and quality control managers. The Impresza ranges are produced with the best technology constantly updated and the best of available manpower constantly trained to ensure a seamless production of world-class products. To stay on top of the game, Sam & Sara constantly updates its production facility to meet the ever changing trend in the garment industry. This explains why our products are top-notch, capable of competing with the best in the areas of aptness, comfortability and durability. With the completion of our ultramodern workshop, our manufacturing process has been integrated to facilitate all the process involved in garment manufacturing under one roof. This enables us to reduce timeline in delivering orders and above all coordinate the production processes for efficiency and quality.

You opened Omoluabi Garment factory in Osun State and there are rumours that you are fronting for somebody. How true is this?

I am extremely shocked that some mischievous people or class of people in Osun can condescend so low as to become pathological liars, and even try to play on the intelligence of the public and the good people of the State of Osun. It is common knowledge that Sam and Sara has been in operation before the current administration came on board. Everybody knows Sam and Sara Uniforms as a uniform company. We are the foremost garment manufacturer in Nigeria. We manufacture uniforms for schools, corporate organisations and governments. The government of the State of Osun is just one of them. How the issue of ownership of Omoluabi garment became a contentious issue, and a topic for political campaign is really shocking to us. I want to state categorically that this report is pure mischief, absolute falsehood; I believe many of our clients who heard about this rumour will quickly debunk it. Our clients, both new and old, know who the owner of Sam and Sara Uniforms and Omoluabi Garment Factory is.

How then did the company acquire the name Omoluabi instead of Sam and Sara?

Let me start from the beginning. When the government of the State of Osun decided to standardise the uniform, we were not there because we are not part of the government.

They said they wanted to do what other civilised countries in the world do with regards to school uniforms, which is standardisation.

They placed an advert in the newspapers and we saw the advert, and we bidded, just like we always do with all job offers and fortunately we won. Why did we win? We won because we are the most capable, we are the biggest factory, and our prices are competitive. Some of our competitors did bid twice the amount we bidded. And this is not a surprise because we have the largest factory; we deal in mass production. As at the time we won the bid, we did not have a factory in Osogbo. Apart from the state government wanting to standardise

the school uniforms, they also wanted to empower the grassroots people. That was why the government mandated us to compulsorily establish a factory in Osogbo to stitch all the uniforms and continue to produce it. The government insisted we entered into agreement that no job opportunity generated by the factory would be taken outside the state. They want the indigenes of the state to be the sole beneficiaries of the project and we agreed. We had to go out of our way to reach out to the Bank of Industry to borrow so much money.

The loan was collaterised by my own personal property. These are facts that can be verified.

So, all these lies and rumour about Omoluabi belonging to the First Lady is shocking to me. Will I go to borrow on behalf of the First Lady? Will I put my personal property on the line for the First Lady or anybody for that matter? Of course, the answer is no. The Bank of Industry is there to prove me wrong if I am lying. You can go and find out from the Bank of Industry. They partly financed the equipment, but we built the factory. The input of the state government was the parcel of land they gave us. The name Omoluabi was suggested for the company because the state gave us the land, so they have a bit of equity. The Commissioner for Finance and the Attorney General of the State of Osun represent the state government as members of the Board of Directors. These government representatives suggested name for the company, and that is how the name Omoluabi came about. They say Osun people are known as Omoluabi. In a nutshell, our partnership is straightforward and open: The government of the state created an enabling environment for the industrialisation of the State of Osun and we only took advantage of the opportunity for investment.

Recently ICPC invited you to Abuja.

Can you shed light on why you got that invitation?

Once again, I think this is the handiwork of some mischief-makers because when I got this invitation I was shocked. I went there with all confidence because I knew I had done nothing wrong, I am not in government, I didn’t embezzle money and I have never done anything criminal. On arrival, I was told there were allegations against us about some corrupt practices. Even up till now they are yet to prove to me what the corrupt practices are. But, after much investigation and harassment from ICPC, they could not find anything I have done wrong and have since kept quiet. At the end of the investigation, it was obvious to us that the whole mischief was coming from some people from the State of Osun because all their investigation was centered on our activities in the state.

Having invested so much in the state, the least I expected from anybody is harassment.

How do you maintain a work/life balance?

I don‘t stress myself. When I get upset, I can shout and scream, but that is the end of it. I close from work quite early and get home straight, relax and watch television. This is because television relaxes me and I try not to watch what would make me task my brain. Also, I exercise a lot.

Keeping ABREAST

Would YOU let another woman breastfeed your

baby?

W

hen US mother, Jessica Anne Colletti, was pictured on Facebook simultaneously suckling her 16-month-old son and her friend’s 18-month-old boy, she practically broke the Internet.

Parenting website, Netmums, sprang into action with a groundbreaking research. According to the poll of 2,012 mums, friends’ babies are the most commonly breastfed, followed by a sister’s or another relative’s child - with eight per cent of those admitting they have fed a stranger’s baby. Twenty-five mothers admitted that they have breastfed another woman’s child.

But the research shows most mothers dislike the idea of another woman feeding their baby. More than half of mums are against the idea of using a wet nurse, although one in five would consider using one if needed - while more than a quarter said they would become one themselves.

A Netmums spokeswoman said, “In some cultures, breastfeeding another woman’s child is seen as normal, where it’s often known as ‘milk kinship.’

“In Islam, children fed by the same wet nurse are known as ‘milk brothers and sisters’ - even if they are not related.

“Feeding a friend’s child is sometimes known as ‘cross-nursing’ and seems to be growing in popularity, as mums realise the benefits of breastfeeding for longer.”

Some mothers who breastfeed are turning to the new trend of ‘milksharing’ to ensure their babies get the best start in life, with one in 50 already taking part.

New online ‘peer-to-peer’ sites, which allow mothers producing milk to give it away for free to families where the mum is not able to nurse naturally, are springing up.

Nearly half of breastfeeding women would consider offering their milk through the free sites, the survey revealed.

A further 14 per cent said they were

producing more milk than their own baby needed and four per cent had been helped previously by milk sharing and wanted to give back.

One in 11 enjoyed nursing so much they carried on donating after stopping feeding their own baby.

Of the mums using the sites, almost a third (28 per cent) had babies who were born prematurely, while a quarter (22 per cent) were too unwell to breastfeed after giving birth. A further 22 per cent had a low milk supply and 16 per cent had a medical condition, which left them unable to nurse.

Netmums editor in chief, Anne-Marie O’Leary, said, “Milk sharing is the ultimate milk of human kindness. In a world where almost everything is now commercialized, it’s wonderful to see families coming together to help and support each other for free.”

Two-thirds of mothers polled said they believe society is becoming more supportive of breastfeeding, with 59 per cent feeling recent controversies where mums have been asked to cover-up while breastfeeding in public, have actually made nursing more popular.

Five per cent of families surveyed said they had received milk from a hospital milk bank, which provide a strictly-regulated service offering milk to mothers of new babies who cannot nurse.

The survey also found mums are worried by another burgeoning trend for selling breast milk online.

Some sites, which offer milk for sale, have been criticised for taking advantage of desperate parents and for also selling milk to bodybuilders and other groups who do not need it.

As a result, a third of mums believe the sale of breast milk should be banned and it should only ever be offered for free to families in need.

Nearly half said they would be worried about the safety of milk offered by commercial sites, with just one in 50 mothers claiming they would consider buying milk online.

Parenting

36

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression

Safety tips to protect your children at home this holiday (2) CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

Use window guards and safety netting: Use window guards and safety netting to help prevent falls from windows, balconies, decks, and landings. Window guards and safety netting for balconies and decks can help prevent serious falls.

Check these safety devices frequently to make sure they are secure and properly installed and maintained.

There should be no more than four inches between the bars of the window guard. If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire. Window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows.

Use corner and edge bumpers: Use corner and edge bumpers to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces. Corner and edge bumpers can be used with furniture and fireplace hearths to help prevent injuries from falls or to soften falls against sharp or rough

edges. Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges.

Use outlet covers and outlet plates: Use outlet covers and outlet plates to help prevent electrocution.

Outlet covers and outlet plates can help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution.

Be sure the outlet protectors cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough so that children cannot choke on them.

Use a carbon monoxide (CO) detector: Use a carbon monoxide (CO) detector outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning. A carbon monoxide (CO) detector can help prevent CO poisoning. Consumers should install CO detectors near sleeping areas in their homes.

Households that should use CO detectors include those with gas or oil heat or with attached garages.

Cut window blind cords: Cut window blind cords -- use safety tassels and inner cord stops to help prevent children from strangling in blind cord loops. Window blind

ParentingUpdate C

hildhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years, says a study. Records have it that more than one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese.

Overweight is defined as having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water, or a combination of these factors. Obesity is defined as having excess body fat.

Overweight and obesity are the result of “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—and are affected by various genetic, be-

havioural, and environmental factors. Below are the immediate health effects of obese.

•Obese youth are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure. In a populationbased sample of 5- to 17-yearolds, 70% of obese youth had at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease.7 •Obese adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes, a condition in which blood glucose levels indicate a high risk for development of diabetes.8,9 •Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social

cord safety tassels on mini blinds and tension devices on vertical blinds and drapery cords can help prevent deaths and injuries from strangulation in the loops of cords. Inner cord stops can help prevent strangulation in the inner cords of window blinds. For older mini blinds, cut the cord loop, remove the buckle, and put safety tassels on each cord. Be sure that older vertical blinds and drapery cords have tension or tie-down devices to hold the cords tight. When buying new mini blinds, verticals, and draperies, ask for safety features to prevent child strangulation.

Use door stops and door holders: Use door stops and door holders to help prevent injuries to fingers and hands.

Door stops and door holders on doors and door hinges can help prevent small fingers and hands from being pinched or crushed in doors and door hinges. Be sure any safety device for doors is easy to use and is not likely to break into small parts, which could be a choking hazard for young

children.

Use a cordless phone: Use a cordless phone to make it easier to continuously watch young children, especially when they’re in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas.

Cordless phones help you

watch your child continuously, without leaving the vicinity to answer a phone call. Cordless phones are especially helpful when children are in or near water, whether it’s the bathtub, the swimming pool, or the beach.

Culled from www.pamf.org

Tiny Feet

NAME: EVAN Chucks BORN TO: Mr and Mrs Chucks AGE: eight days old BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Obese children are at the risk of cardiovascular disease –Study

and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem.5,6,10 Long-term health effects: •Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults11-14 and are therefore more at risk for

adult health problems such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.6 One study showed that children who became obese as early as age 2 were more likely to be obese as adults.12 •Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, pancreas, gall bladder, thyroid, ovary, cervix, and prostate, as well as multiple myeloma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.15 Prevention •Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming obese and de-

veloping related diseases.6 •The dietary and physical activity behaviours of children and adolescents are influenced by many sectors of society, including families, communities, schools, child care settings, medical care providers, faithbased institutions, government agencies, the media, and the food and beverage industries and entertainment industries.

•Schools play a particularly critical role by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviours. Schools also provide opportunities for students to learn about and practice healthy eating and physical activity behaviours.

Culled from www.webmd.com

37 37

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 22, 2015

People

Obasanjo throws birthday party for journalist

D

ateline; Sunday August 2, 2015 and the venue was the Presidential Hilltop Private Residence of the former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in Abeokuta. The ceremony of the day was in honour of a reputable journalist, popularly called, ‘Penpusher’, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, a former Zonal Secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalists(NUJ).

The ceremony was a birthday bash sponsored and organized by the former President in honour of the journalist, the first of its kind coming from Chief Aremu Okikiola Olusegun Obasanjo. The celebrant day was July 19, but in line with Obasanjo promise before travelling out of the country on that day, the former President decided to host him on Sunday, August 2, 2015.

On the day, the Banquet Hall of the Obasanjo home was well prepared for the colourful ceremony, which was provided with sumptuous meal, wines and other drinks of different brand.

There were number of guests and well wishers invited by the celebrant, who were in attendance to be part of the epoch making ceremony, while the hall was full to the brim Some notable dignatories at the colourful ceremony include: Iyalode of Yorubaland,Chief(Mrs) Alaba Lawson,Prof Oye Ibidapo-Obe,(Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos) Segun Odegbami(former Green Eagles Captain),Aare Lekan Alabi(Veteran journalist),Tunde Oladunjoye(former PDP Deputy Governorship Candidate in Ogun State),Engr Dideolu Falobi(President,Ijesaland Development Foundation),Ayinde Soaga(General Manager Ogun State Television),Omooba Segun Adewale( former PDP Governorshi Aspirant in Ogun State) Tunde Sodeke(former Chairman,Ogun State NUJ) , Kemi Otegbade, Oyin Onime,Neye Kehinde,Funsho Akinwande, Kemi Otegbade and Wole Shokunbi(Chairman Ogun NUJ) among others As the celebrant and the guests sat down for the take-off of the event, the sponsor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo walked in majestically at about 5.00pm the scheduled time, into the waiting hand of the celebrant and his guests.

Interestingly both Obasanjo and the celebrant dressed in white attire.

The kick-off of the event was a prayer said by Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief (Mrs) Alaba Lawson, while the Master of Ceremony was one of the celebrant colleagues, Kehinde Akinyemi of the Daily Trust Newspapers.

As the event took off, many of the guests, were also allowed to give comments on the person of the celebrant as known to them The first person to speak was former Deputy Governorship Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Ogun State, Ambassador Tunde Oladunjoye, who himself is a journalist, who described the celebrant as a thoroughbred journalist ‘Dimeji is my senior colleague in the profession, a former zonal secretary of Nigeria Union of Journalists, who oversees the South-

West about ten years ago. I know his qualities and appreciate him as thoroughbred journalist.

He stands by the truth and write stories, way it should be and doesn’t mind whose ox is gore. He is a journalist that any serious journalist should see as role model in the profession. He stands by the truth in his write up. As am talking to you now, he remains the best investigative journalist in the State, I must say this, he deserved this honour, and for Baba to have considered him for this honour, I know he must have won Baba Obasanjo’s heart.

In his own comment, Engr Dideolu Falobi, who is the President of Ijesaland Development Foundation (IDF), said the celebrant is a worth ambassador of Ijesaland, who has again brought Ijesaland into limelight in a positive way Dimeji is my kinsman, a friend and a brother, I don’t regret knowing him .We have had course to work together towards Ijesaland development growth, and I can tell you his commitment towards his homeland, and this also reflects in his journalism practice. He is blunt and will tell you the home truth whether you want to listen to it or not. With this honour Baba showered on him, I want to publicly say that he is an Ijesa good ambassador and we are proud of him. Interestignly, he is a Prince from Ilesa and came from Risawe ruling house, which happen to be one of the famous ruling house in Ilesa’ Also speaking, a veteran journalist, Aare Lekan Alabi pointed out that, the celebrant is a known vibrant journalist, who love the profession with passion, adding that his skill in the profession is not in doubt His words I appreciate the journalism competence of Dimeji, I can vividly recalled, just recently when I brought the family of Adegoke Adelabu on a visit to former president, I contacted Dimeji to help me coordinate the media, and I can tell you the end result was fantastic.

I am proud of him and happy to be associated with him. He is a man that journalism radiates in his blood and the younger ones should learn from his dexterity in the profession’. For Baba Obasanjo to have decided to honour him shows that he must have seen good qualities in him’ In his own remark, Professor Oye IbidapoObe disclosed to the gatherings that the celebrant is his first cousin, and knowing his background, he is expected to be responsible as noticed by Obasanjo to have honour him.

The former Vice-Chancellor of University of Lagos, said when the celebrant contacted him to extend invitation to him, he never give it a second thought, because for former President to have found him worthy to be honour, it shows his (Dimeji”s) qualities.

“Dimeji is my first cousin, and from his background right from Ilesa, I don’t expect anything less. So when he sent text to me that, Baba is to host him and invites me, I never give a contrary view to it, because I know he is a blessing to Ijesaland and the family. So on behalf of our family back in Ilesa, I want to thank Baba Obasanjo for this honour’.

Iyalode of Yorubaland ,Chief (Mrs Alaba Lawson in her own remark, recalled that she had known the celebrant since 1982, and never found him wanting, stressing that, that was one of the qualities that made her to be close to him, and till date she has no regret associating with him.

Lawson added further that, for Baba Obasanjo to have consider him for this great honour, which some people are looking forward to, but didn’t get, shows that he is dearly love by the former President, stressing that it is a known fact that, that Obasanjo doesn’t just celebrate anybody who doesn’t worthy it ‘I have known Dimeji since 1982, and I can say boldly and openly that I have no regret as-

sociating with him. He is a journalist of repute and respect. He does not compromise his integrity, and that is why many of us are proud to be associated with him.

Iyalode Lawson, also called on the celebrant to see the honour , as one that should further motivate and spur him to another greater height, pointing out that, Obasanjo honour to him is commendable.

However, the sponsor of the elaborate birthday party, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who spoke in Yoruba, said his reason for celebrating Dimeji was because, he has been found responsible, emphasizing a Yoruba adage, ‘Ti Omode ba mo owo we, Aba Agba jeun’,meaning a responsible child would always dine and wine with the elders.

Obasanjo added, ‘Dimeji, Iwo mo owo we, ode nba agba jeun’, meaning, you are responsible, hence, you have to dine and wine with the elders.

The frank speaking former President in his usual style did not mince words, saying he is aware that many journalists are bad, but pointed out that not all of them are bad, hence, the need to celebrate the good ones.

Obasanjo declared that he would remain blunt for life, just as he added that he doesn’t hate the media as is being made to believed in some quarters stressing that irresponsible journalism should not be allow in nation building.

‘I remain myself and I will continue to remain myself in being blunt. I don’t hate the media,but there are some bad eggs in the profession, and this must not be allowed, and the truth must be told. However, not all journalists are bad, hence, the need to celebrate the good ones, as we are all witnessing today’, Obasanjo emphasized.

He said he had equally dwelled extensively on this menace in the profession in his book, ‘My Watch’, stressing that bad journalism should not be allow to strive, and he would not stop to condemn such act in all ramifications and would continued to celebrate the good ones.

Obasanjo said journalists are expected to play meaningful roles in the society, explaining that, he was not against genuine criticism from the media, but the practitioners must always be sincere and committed to the ethics of the profession.

The celebrant, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji in his vote of thanks displayed bountiful joy, and expressed profound appreciation to the former President over the honour, saying Obasanjo had added value to his life.

“Baba, I must confess you have added value to my life today for the honour you bestowed on me, I am overwhelm, and I am very grateful. What you see in me to give me this honour, I pray God will not allow Satan to derail me from the qualities found in me. I am short of words” ‘All I know is that, it is God who gives rewards, Baba I pray that God will reward you bountifully, and for all my guests, I want to equally appreciate you all, for been part of this my success story. Joy will remain a permanent resident in the home of all of you; you have made my day and added to my joy’, the celebrant said

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August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘He tied my legs and arms to the bed’

• I am not ready to leave her because of my children, if she does not think about that, I do. It is because of her unholy ways that she wants to leave me —Husband

A

n Osogbo Grade II Customary Court has dissolved the 15-year marriage between Mutiat Asimiyu and her husband Saheed over constant beating.

In his judgment, the President of the court, Chief Bolarinwa Popoola, dissolved the marriage and held that the marriage was problematic with accusation and counter accusation bordered on distrust.

“The court, hereby, dissolve the marriage in favour of the petitioner,” he held.

‘I get ‘spiritual knocks’ anytime I have sex with my wife’

• Not only do I get knocks, whenever I had the intention of sleeping with her, I would discover rashes on my manhood or my manhood would be twisted. At times, I would not get erection or my sperm would cease. Since then, I became afraid of everything—Husband Stories

by :

Muda O yeni -

ran

A

middle-aged woman, Sophia Arapogun, has prayed an Agege customary court to dissolve her 11yrs marriage because her husband, Patrick, abandoned her for two years.

Mrs. Arapogun, who lived with her husband and his six children from his previous marriage, said he never asked her how she fed.

“My husband buys foodstuffs for his children and asks them to keep them in their room. He never asked what I needed at a particular moment and we lived together.”

The petitioner said her husband came home at a time to sprinkle something that looked like blood all over the house, adding that she worked as a clerical officer in her husband’s hospital.

She said: “I used to pack-

age melon to sell in neighbouring markets but since my husband didn’t like the idea, he employed me in his hospital. There was a day I took N300 to take passport photograph, he shouted at me in the presence of his children and I felt humiliated. I was more shocked when he made sure I refunded the money.”

In his testimony in court Patrick said he married her because he heard a pathetic story about her, adding: “I asked if she had any evil spirit or medical problems which didn’t make her conceive during her two previous marriages but she said no; then I married her.”

The respondent, a doctor, said after their marriage, he discovered that three minutes after making love to her, he got a knock on his head.

“Not only did I get a knock, whenever I had the intention of sleeping with her, I would discover rashes on my manhood or my manhood would

be twisted. At times, I would not get erection or my sperm ceases. Since then, I became afraid of everything,” Arapogun said.

He said his hospital crumbled after his wife began to work with him, adding that she also stole money.

“When we lived together, there were times my wife left the bedroom and returned in the morning without any explanation. Our union is bad

omen. I have suffered from swollen legs, slight stroke and it was when I realised my wife defecates in the bucket I used to bathe that I decided to leave with my children because I was not ready to die young and I don’t know what was going to happen next,” he said.

President of the court, Pa Adekunle Williams, ordered the wife to maintain the peace and adjourned the matter till for judgment.

Popoola awarded custody of two children, aged 12 and 10 to the father, while custody of the four-year-old child was awarded to the petitioner.

He ordered the respondent to give N2000 each for the upkeep of each of the three children through the court and granted him the right to see his children at anytime.

Mutiat, had urged the court to dissolve the marriage to her husband alleging constant beating and lack of peace.

“He beats me always. There was a time he travelled, when he came back, he came to my shop and said I should go home with him.

“When we got home, he said I should swear that when he travelled no other man touched me which I did without worry.

“But one day, I slept, he tied my legs and arms to the bed and woke me up, I realised I couldn’t move, so I asked him what have I done.

“He said he would sleep with me that way and get me pregnant and then go ahead to expose and disgrace me saying he did not know who impregnated me.

“I asked why he was doing that, he said it was because of the way I slept and he started beating me, the beating was too much that I had to jump from the stairs and runaway.

“I went to my family house, the next day he came to beg that my parents should reCONTINUED ON PAGE 39

‘Constant beating from my husband made me deaf’ A

35-year-old hairdresser, Mrs Toyin Ola, has urged an Agege Grade ‘A’ Customary Court to dissolve her marriage because her husband, Mr. Lanre Ola, makes life difficult for her.

The partially deaf woman said constant beating she re-

ceived from her hubby made her deaf “We lived together for five years without a child consequent upon which Lanre abandoned me in his house.

At first, he started beating me. I reported him to his family which intervened but the

situation did not change,” the petitioner stated.

She urged the court to dissolve the marriage. Lanre denied the constant beating charge. Meanwhile, the president of the court, Mr. Shokunle, adjourned the case for judgment.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

DIVORCE COURT

August 22, 2015

39

‘He tied my legs and arms to the bed’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

solve the problem and I move back home with him.

“So, I moved back, I did not know that he was putting something on his manhood to sleep with me.

“I caught him on one occasion, I took the substance and when he was asked why he was using it, he said his father gave it to him.

“But his father denied it.

The main reason I have come to court is that, he stalks and trails me, on one of his attacks, he beat me, tore my clothes and took my phone and N27,250 cash.

“I arrested him with the police and my father begged me to release him as none of his relatives came to his rescue.

“I want to have peace and that is why I have come to court to dissolve this marriage,” she said.

Saheed, the respondent, said that their union was not 15-years but 19 years and denied having carnal knowledge of his wife with charm.

“I wanted to travel to Abuja and I left my wife in the care of an Alfa who was present at our child’s naming.

“I told him to help me monitor my wife and that I would be calling her through him.

“When I called, the Alfa told me that my wife had taken to a strange lifestyle and that I should not stay long before coming so that I would come and monitor her movements.

“So, I came home, but I did not tell her I was coming, I went to see the Alfa who mentioned the names of the men she was seeing.

“I got home and asked her about it and that she should swear she had no affair while I was away.

“She said before she would answer, she wanted to know who told me and I told her it was not important.

“But she said she knew and went out of the house to the Alfa’s house, I followed her and both of them started exchanging words to the extent that she asked the Alfa to swear that he did not make advances at her.

“We fought at the Alfa’s house because I told her she could kill for not telling me about what was happening, that was when she left for Lagos.

“I wanted to collect my children’s clothes from her because the older ones are living with me, so I followed her

when I saw her, it is true I collected her phone, but I have given it back to her.

“I did not collect money from her and I did not tie her to bed, she wants to implicate me. I also did not use anything on my manhood.

“I am not ready to leave her because of my children, if she does not think about that, I do. It is because of her unholy ways that she wants to leave me,” he said.

[NAN]

‘I caught my husband having sex with church member’

• Recently, after several days of abandoning me, I traced my husband to his church in a village not far from Ondo town.

On getting there, I met him on the floor of the church office with one of the women in the church. They were having sex —Wife

A

42-year-old woman, Doris Oseni, has told a Customary Court in Ondo town, Ondo State, that she caught her husband of 12 years, Prophet Femi Oseni, on the floor of the church office, having sex with another woman.

The woman, who is also an evangelist in the church, therefore asked the court for the dissolution of their marriage on the grounds of adultery, desertion and lack of love on the part of the husband.

The plaintiff said her husband’s behaviour towards her

changed after seven years of their marriage with no child, adding that the defendant had been sleeping around with different women, most of whom were their church members.

She said, “Recently, after several days of abandoning me, I traced my husband to his church in a village not far from Ondo town. On getting there, I met him on the floor of the church office with one of the women in the church. They were having sex.”

She said she reported her husband’s strange behaviour to his mother, adding that it did not

stop him from the adulterous acts.

She stated that she was fed up with the relationship, praying the court to separate them.

Doris also accused the husband of having a child, who she said was a product of his extra-marital affairs .

However, the 45-year-old Oseni pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage with his wife, saying he still loved the woman, whom he described as a virtuous woman that had been taking care of him since he married her.

In his ruling, the President of

the court, Joshua Adunbi, said the words and body language of the wife had shown that she was tired of the union. He therefore ordered the dissolution of the marriage .

Adunbi added that both parties were free to re-marry any person of their choice and ordered the petitioner to pay the sum of N2,500 to the respondent as a refund of dowry.

He said anyone of the parties that was not satisfied with the decision of the court could appeal the ruling within 30 days (naij.com)

‘My husband refused to work for 25 years’

• He is so lazy. All he knows how to do is to drink to stupor, knocking married women’s doors at night and chasing single ladies in the neighbourhood.I established him, but he ruined the business because he was spending all the money on his concubines —Wife • I may not have money but I am caring. When one of our children was sick, I was with him for three months in hospital, doing all what his mother could not do. I protect the family; take care of them while she brings home money.I still love my wife and I will always love her, I don’t want the dissolution —Husband

A

44-year-old nurse, who lives at 9, Shodipo Street, Papa Ashafa, Orile Agege, has prayed an Orile Agege Customary Court to end her 25-year-old marriage.

After enduring her husband’s excesses and laziness for years, she thought it was time to move on when she couldn’t take it anymore.

Narrating her ordeal in her evidence-in-chief before the court, Mrs Comfort Oladepo said her husband refused to work for 20 years.

“My husband refused to work for 20 years; so I was the one feed-

ing, paying house rent and clothing the family including my husband”, Comfort stated.

“He is so lazy. All he knows how to do is to drink to stupor, knocking married women’s doors at night and chasing single ladies in the neighbourhood.

“I established him, but he ruined the business because he was spending all the money on his concubines.

“As if that was not enough, he asked my friends and my young and older siblings out.

“He goes after anything in skirt; be it old enough to be his

mother or she is of our child’s age.

“I have become a laughing stock, even in the church. I made all efforts for him to stop this disgraceful act but he won’t listen.

“He collects money from me and uses the money to chase other men’s wives. I am tired. I don’t want the marriage anymore,” she lamented.

“I have endured for twenty years; I want to stay alone so that I don’t have a husband. He is useless. I see no reason I am still with him.”

Meanwhile, her 54-year-old husband, Kayode, told the court

that when he was working, he provided for his wife and children.

“I may not have money but I am caring. When one of our children was sick, I was with him for three months in hospital, doing all what his mother could not do”, the respondent said.

“I protect the family; take care of them while she brings home money.

“I still love my wife and I will always love her, I don’t want the dissolution”.

The court president, Mr Joseph Adewusi adjourned the case for judgment.

40

EVENTS

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

When Audu Maikori and friends were hosted to a taste of luxury Last weekend is one that entertainment entrepreneur, Audu Maikori, and his friends will not forget anytime soon as they were hosted to taste what luxury is like by Chivas Regal whisky. Bolanle Olukanni, MI, Juliet Ibrahim and Jesse Jagz were among those who tasted the luxury.

Audu Maikori

Bolanle Olukanni

Dimeji Alara

Lolo

Jesse Jagz

Tonye

Juliet Ibrahim

Sonia Ibrahim

MI

Pryse

Yetunde Babaeko

Yinka Davies

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

August 22, 2015

Asthma Prevention Doctor Talabi has answers to your health questions

Write him today at prettyprevent@gmail.com or text 09099346165 (sms only pls)

Dear Mirror Doctor, Kudos to you for work done!

I’m using preventive drugs for Asthma for the past four years without any attack. They are Ventolin, Franol and Betamethasone tablets.

My question is: I want to change drugs. Please give me names of other effective Asthma drugs.

Thank u Doctor!

E. O.

I

n response to the above mail from one of the readers of Saturday Mirror, I felt compelled to discuss prevention of asthma beyond medications. Asthma itself is not preventable, being a chronic inflammatory lung disorder where genetic and environmental factors play a complex role. But you can prevent attacks and sudden aggravation of symptoms if you manage and control it well enough and can in fact be symptom free for a long period of time.

The first thing to note is that adequate control of asthma is dependent on the individual and the doctor .Between the two, a suitable management plan must be drawn up. This should be strictly followed by the patient and closely monitored by the Doctor.

Objectives of Asthma Management: The aim of such plan is to –Avoid sudden asthmatic attack –To sleep at night without symptoms –Have minimal side effects from asthma drugs –Attend work regularly and able to carry out normal duties.

Preventive measures: There are several steps towards achieving the above objectives. Also there are variations, and what works for A may not necessarily be the best for B. Largely though, the steps outlined below serves as a general guide line that will help any individual with the condition.

Identify and avoid triggers: This is where it is important to truly know and understand your condition.

As part of this, you must identify those things that particularly trigger your own asthma out of the very common ones.

Such common triggers include, a)smokes :do not smoke and do not stay around someone smoking ,b)dusts: from rugs and the environment generally should

be avoided including dusts thrown up while sweeping, c) molds, d) pets, e) fumes: from cars and generators, f)cold, g)stress and emotional disturbances: should be reduced by learning to relax more especially around the time of frequent attacks. You should also avoid other things you observe trigger attack in you, except physical exercise. This by no means should be avoided because exercise is good for everyone. Rather, it should be done indoors if weathers are unfavorable and in other cases discuss with your doctor prior to embarking on such exercise and always have your medications handy.

Be prepared: For sudden attacks as they sometimes still occur. This include telling people around you that you are asthmatic and educating them on what to do in the event of an emergency .Also, you may want to inform your child’s school on activities he or she can partake in, based on medical advice. Then, keep your inhaler and other quick relief medications with you always as attacks have been known to occur in unusual places. Sometimes the problem is with improper use of inhaler.

This could be dangerous in situations where your life depends on it. Therefore, let’s take a look on how to make use of inhaler in these simple steps: a) Remove the cap and shake the inhaler well b) Breathe out and hold the inhaler 1-2 inches in front of your mouth c) Breathe in slowly and press down on the inhaler to discharge, still breathing in slowly going as deeply as you can d) Hold your breath for a few seconds to allow the drug spread into your lungs

e) You may repeat within a few minutes f ) Gargle with water and spit out to limit side effect from the medication g) Clean your inhaler and keep for next use.

Take your medications as prescribed: After mutually agreeing with your doctor on a plan of action, it is imperative you follow such plans of action. These include taking your medications as prescribed at the right time and in the right combination, and never stopping, without your doctor’s consent even if you feel better.

Note warning signs and act fast: Most people have recognizable warning signs, seen when asthma is about to strike, such as cough, noisy breathing, breathlessness or chest tightening.

Taking medications at this time drastically reduces the tendency for the attack to become severe Get regular check-ups: Thank God your asthma is now under control! But you still need to go for regular medical checkups. This is because lung narrowing occurs several days before the symptoms of asthma manifest and you can only detect this by checking your lung function.

Conclusion: In conclusion here is what I told our

esteemed reader Hello Mr. E.O, Apologies for the delay in replying your mail. As to your questions, a lot of factors need to be considered First is the fact that without a compelling reason you don’t change a ‘winning team’ i.e. drugs that are working for you without giving you intolerable side effects.

Second, Betamethasone is a corticosteroid, a group of drugs you naturally avoid taking over a prolonged period. And if you have to, you don’t discontinue suddenly as this can give undesirable side effects Third, though your preventive asthma medications seem to be effective, it is still advisable that you go for medical checkups from time to time, to check the lung functions and adjust your medications accordingly Finally, I assume these medications were prescribed by a Dr. I will therefore advise that you revisit the clinic, so that your medications can be reviewed after carrying out the necessary tests, it is only then a decision can be taken between you and your doctor on whether or not to change your medications and how to go about it.

Wishing you the best of health always Yours, Mirror doctor You can chat with a doctor FREE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng. Every Wednesdays and Fridays (4-8pm)

42

August 22, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Susane Wenger’s house listed as museum

T

he coming to Osogbo of the Austrian born artist and sculptor, Susanne Wenger in the 50s was a blessing to Osogbo, the Osun State capital, as the late Austrian woman brought glory and fame to the town.

The latest of the glory brought to the town by Wenger popularly called Adunni Olorisa was the enlistment of her house as a National Museum by the National Museums and Monuments. The house where she lived which was given to her when she arrived the town in the 50s by the then Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Adenle, located at Ibokun road, Oke Baale, Osogbo is today a beehive of activities for traditionalists and tourists, including students seeking knowledge about Yoruba culture, arts and sculptures.

On arrival in Osogbo, with the hospitality which the Yorubas are known for, the late Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Adenle, who was on the throne donated a two storey befitting house located on Ibokun road, Oke Baale area of Osogbo to the Austrian woman, who came to Osogbo only with clothes. The house was said to be the best in the whole of Osogbo at the time.

She, however, molded sculptures and masterpieces in the house to resemble that of an artist, a situation which made the National Museums and Monuments to name the house as one of its centres in the country.

She did the same thing at the Osun groove. It was on record that her art works and sculptures beautify the Osun shrine and aided its enlistment as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Since her death in 2008, the house had not been deserted, even though she had no biological child to watch over the house but some of her adopted children have taken it upon themselves to take visitors round the house and show them the sculptures she molded in and outside the town, which are now preserved by the National Museums and Monuments. The maintenance of the house and the artistic works therein is also done by the National Museums and Monuments Adunni Olorisa as she was fondly called adopted Yoruba deity, (Osun Osogbo) as her religion. She at the initial stage of her sojourn in Nigeria according to record was on a mission in search of knowledge about the Yoruba ways of worshiping gods, particularly the Osun Osogbo which along the line she became its chief priestess, the position she held until her death.

Most of her contemporaries who arrived Nigeria about the same time with her are Christian missionaries who arrived with the holy bible on one hand and west-

The tourists at Wenger house

ern education on the other hand came into the country preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and converting the residents from their traditional idol worshiping to Christianity.

Susanne Wenger after spending some years in Osogbo divorced her husband, Professor Ullier Bier, a Professor of History who accompanied her to the town to marry a local drummer in Osogbo who is not literate in western education. She also had 17 children none of which was her biological child, but adopted all of them in Osogbo, a town she adopted as hers till she died.

Ironically, the goddess of Osun Osogbo, which is believed to be the source of giving children to many women, and which indeed gave many Nigerian and foreign women children could not help Susanne Wenger produced a child of her own throughout the 54 years that she devoted her strength and time to worship it.

From the entrance of the shrine to the inner groove, the art works of Susanne Wenger could be easily seen and adored by worshipers of Osun and traditionalists who besiege the shrine yearly for the annual Osun Osogbo festival.The People of Osun State, nay Nigeria will not forget in a hurry her contributions to the enlistment of the Osun groove as one of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized World Heritage Sites in 2005, a ma-

jor landmark achievement for not only the state but the country at large. It was this achievement that contributed to the establishment of Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo.

According to one of the Osun devotees and a close associate of the late art collector, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, the late Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Adenle named Wenger “Iwinfunmi Adunni Olorisa” considering her dedication to Osun and other traditional festivals in the town Also, her interest in Yoruba culture, Elebuibon said encouraged the then Ataoja to install her as the chief Priestess of Osun shrine, a position which made her the chief custodian of the shrine.

The foremost Ifa priest, recalled that when Wenger arrived Osogbo in the 50s, her basic intention was to research into the mythology of Osun River, and she eventually got convinced about the powers of the river, which include its ability to solve every problem of life, especially childlessness.

The research conducted by Wenger, Elebuibon said included the living fish that periodically came out of the water during the Osun festival, saying that her research later brought other foreigners from Germany and Australia to Osogbo, who conducted similar research.

Also, Wenger reportedly used her influence as a foreigner to promote the Osun

Osogbo festival to the outside communities and made it an international festival to the extent that the festival was being celebrated in far away France, Germany and Australia among others.

Elebuibon, a Professor of Ifa Mythology said the contributions of Adunni Olorisa to the Osun groove would remain indelible in the minds of its worshipers as she devoted the better part of her life and her resources to beautify the shrine. She carved various artistic works to beautify the entire Osun shrine and made it to a standard that is delightful to all foreign and local worshipers.

He informed that a committee known as Sacred Arts Committee has been set up to take care of the art works of the late Susanne Wenger, stressing that this was done to ensure proper preservation of all her works and to fulfill part of her wishes of preserving her art works after she might have died.

Wenger could be said to have achieved all her aims and desires following the enlistment of Osun groove as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, being her major goal in life for which she received a national honour by President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, two weeks before her death.

Although she was unable to receive the award personally due to her fragile and falling health, another prominent artist in Osogbo, Chief Jimoh Buraimoh however, received the award on her behalf at that time.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 22, 2015

LEISURE

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From the Civil Service NDE trains 410 unemployed youths in Niger

T L-R: Lioness Stella Agbogun; representative of Lagos State First lady, Mrs. Olukemi Shonibare; Prof. Olufemi Fasanmade; Assistant Director, Nursing Service, LASUTH, Mrs. Modupe Shode and Chairman, National Association of Nurses and Mid-wives, Lagos State Council, Mrs. Olatunde Olusola, during the Annual Nurses Scientific Workshop in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

We’ll not compromise members’ welfare –NUT Exco T he Lagos Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Friday said that it would not compromise the welfare of its members.

The State Chairman of the union, Mr Segun Raheem, said that strikes, were not the only potent weapons for demanding the dues of teachers. ``It is not until we involve our members in a protest or strike that we will convince people and the public that we have not compromised in demanding for the welfare of their teachers,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes the chairman as saying that the union had adopted other means to actualise the demands of teachers in Lagos State.

According to him, the union had in recent times adopted a scientific approach to dialogue and negotiated issues tabled before the government. ``Anybody who understands the nature of dialogue and negotiations will only get a clearer picture of what it looks like. ``As labour leaders go into seminars and workshop on how to

negotiate, so also is the government training its officials in the act. ``We are currently discussing how to source for funds to meet teachers demands based on government presentation of facts and figures,’’ Raheem said.

He also said that the NUT based their demands on earlier agreement between the Lagos State Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and the government on the upward review of workers salary every three years. ``There was a written agreement that every three years there would be a review of workers salary. ``That the reversal of the compressed steps put in place by the government in 2011 up till now that has not been implemented at all, is worrisome. ``If we have got our own and JNC have not got theirs, I think it should be the basis for drawing conclusions,’’ Raheem said.

The chairman said that government was not willing to do anything for teachers from the outcome of their dialogue so far in spite of the pressure the union had mounted.

``Although we are not the one who should be talking for government on government, the situation has compelled them to see the need to address most of the demands. ``When their allocation was buoyant, government did not remember workers

and most importantly most governments are not always willing to pay.’’

Raheem also confirmed that teachers in the state had been paid the outstanding 11.5 per cent of the Teachers Salary Scale (TSS) that the union agitated for. (NAN)

he National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Niger said on Friday said that it had commenced the training of 410 unemployed youths in the state toward making them self-reliant.

Mrs Victoria Awosemo, the Director of Human Resources at the directorate’s headquarters in Abuja, who was in the state to monitor the exercise, made this known at the Bida training centre. ``The NDE in Niger State has embarked on the training of 410 unemployed persons through skill acquisition, self-employment, labour intensive works and other schemes.’’

Awosemo said that 360 of them were undergoing five months vocational training in computer training, GSM repairs, plumbing, welding, satellite maintenance and catering.

She said that they are currently undergoing training in the NDE/Millennium Development Goals skills acquisition

centres in Minna, Bida and Kontagora areas of the state.

The director further said that under the Environmental Beautification Training Scheme, 50 of the unemployed persons had been posted to master trainers to undergo training in fabrication, maintenance of interlocking stones, concrete paving, hand railing, kerbs and Plaster of Paris (POP) She said that at the end of the training, the youths would be adequately positioned to be self-employed and also employ others.

Awoseme appealed to the state government, corporate bodies and NGOs to assist the beneficiaries with tools and equipment to set up their own businesses on completion of the training.

She called on unemployed female graduates and other unemployed persons in the state interested in starting their own businesses in the area of food processing and making of cosmetics to register with the state office for selection.

Govt. directs immediate payment of July salaries to local government workers in Kebbi

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cting Gov. Samaila Yombe of Kebbi has directed the immediate payment of July 2015 salaries of local government employees in the State.

Yombe also directed that payment of salaries for August should be completed on Monday, Aug. 24.

The acting governor gave the directive when he spoke with newsmen after an Emergency Meeting with officials of the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress in Birnin kebbi on Friday.

He said the delay in the payment was unfortunate and condemned the conduct of local government payment departments over the delay.

He also decried ``the indiscriminate under- payment of some staff by the payment departments. ``Government will not hesitate to deal with offi-

cials who engage in shortchanging innocent workers of their hard earned monthly take home pay. ``This present administration will not condone mismanagement, corrup-

tion or manipulation of payment of wages because workers welfare is of paramount importance to the government’’, he said.

He explained that the ongoing staff verification was

aimed at ensuring sanity, probity and accountability in the civil service.

Yombe assured that justice and fair play would be the guide in attending to staff matters. (NAN)

Rivers will continue sponsorship of pilgrims –Wike

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he Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared that his administration will continue the sponsorship of Christian and Muslim Pilgrims to their respective Holy Lands.

Inaugurating the State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board and the State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board yesterday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, Wike said though the state’s resources are dwindling, it will continue the sponsorship of pilgrims.

The governor noted that pilgrimage is necessary for the

spiritual growth of the people.

He, however, said that the number of people to be sponsored on pilgrimage will be reduced in line with the state’s resources.

Wike charged the two boards to be prudent in their management of resources, pointing out that both boards must work hard to avoid financial scandal.

He noted that his administration will continue to promote religious harmony.

He said: “we are supporting the Muslims because of our belief in religious diversity “.

Responding on behalf of

the two boards, Mrs Biobele Odesola, assured the governor that the two boards will live up to expectations.

Chairman of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alh. Abdulrazaq Diepriye, commended Wike for always promoting religious tolerance.

Members of the newly reconstituted Rivers State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board include, Alh. Abdulrazaq Diepriye, Chairman, Alh. Ibrahim Mai Sundu, member ; Alh. Jachrich Macson Mustapha Member; Alh. Ibrahim Akani, member.

Others are, Alh. Abdullahi Ajesere, member; Alh. Ibrahim Adokiye Okiri, member; and Alh. Ibrahim Orlu, member.

Sport Beijing agog as World Athletics Championship begins Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 22, 2015

Ifeanyi Eduzor

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thletes from all over the world will today converge in Beijing, China to look for honours in the 2015 World Athletics Championship which will officially kick off in the city today.

The 15th edition of the championship scheduled to be held from August 22–30 in Beijing will be the largest sporting event to take place at the Beijing National Stadium since the 2008 Summer Olympics hosted by the city.

World Athletics Championships is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

Originally, it was planned to be held every four years but this changed after the third edition in 1991, and it has since been run biennially.

Over the years the competition has grown in size. At its inaugural edition in 1983 an estimated 1,300 athletes from 154 countries participated. By the 2003 competition in Paris, it had grown to 1,907 athletes from 203 countries with coverage being transmitted to 179 different countries.

There has also been a change in composition over the years, with several new events, all for women, being added. By 2005 the schedule for men and women was almost equal. The only differences being that men had the extra event of the 50km walk, while women competed in the 100m hurdles and heptathlon compared to the men in the 110m hurdles and decathlon respectively.

As is tradition since the championship debuted in Helsinki, Finland in 1983, the best athletes from all the five continents of the World will be in the Chinese capital not only to showcase their talents to the entire World but also confirm their dominance in their various sports.

Nigeria’s delegation to the championship made up of a total of 18 female and five male athletes will be led by Blessing Okagbare who is hoping to outshine her strongest rivals in the Chinese capital city where she first won an Olympic medal in 2008.

At the last championships in Moscow, Russia, Okagbare was denied a place Female Athletes 100/200/4x100m 1 Blessing Okagbare 2 Gloria Asumnu 3 Stephanie Kalu 4 Deborah Odeyemi 5 Cecilia Francis 6 Ngozi Onwumere 400/4x400m 7 Patience Okon 8 Regina George 9 Oluwatosin Adeloye

on the podium in the 100m by Shelly Ann Praser-Pryce of Jamaica, Murielle Ahoure and Carmelita Jeta. However, she was able to rescue a bronze in the 200m, partly because race favourite Allyson Felix had a pull.

But going to China this time, Okagbare who is the only Nigerian athlete to have won medals in all major athletic competitions viz; Olympics, World Athletics Championship, All Africa Games and Commonwealth Games stated that she is not bothered by the quality of the opposition as there could be an upset.

“Anybody can be beaten, including Shelly-Ann or even me. We have all worked hard. Each time you participate in a competition, the essential thing is to run to full potential,” said Okagbare who also won silver in the long jump with 6.99m.

Ahead of the championships in Beijing, Okagbare has the third fastest time of the season. A 10.80 seconds, she achieved in July. Fraser-Pryce has fastest time of 10.74 seconds with English Gardner of the USA in second place with 10.79 seconds. Other athletes who are potential medalists include Ahoure of Cote’d Ivoire who has 10.81 seconds and Tori Bowie also with 10.81.

Apart from Okagbare, other athletes like Gloria Asumnu who won the 100 women’s event at the national trials in the absence of Okagbare, Uhunoma Osazuwa who set a new national record in heptathlon, Stephanie Kalu, Deborah Odeyemi, Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Odele Tega Peter, Tyron Akins, Ukaoma Miles and Tosin Oke are expected to do the country proud at the championship.

Although, Nigeria has won only 8 medals made up of 4 silver and 4 bronze medals since it started participating in the championship but that has not dampened the morale of Nigerian athletes over the years from being part of the greatest sporting event in the World after the Olympics.

As Nigeria joins the rest of the World in this year’s championship, it is hoped that the athletes will not go to Beijing on a jamboree but register the country’s name on the medals table.

Okagbare

Full list of Team Nigeria Athletes

10 Etim Margaret 11 Funke Oladoye 12 Rita Ossai 13 Doreen Amata

Long Jump 16 Ese Brume

200m 2. Odele Tega Peter

100mH 14 Lindsay Weyimi Lindley

Discus 17 Chinwe Okoro Heptathlon 18 Uhunoma Naomi Osazuwa

110mH 3 Tyron Akins 400mH 4 Ukaoma Miles

400mH 15 Amaka Ogoegbunam

Male Athletes 100mh 1 Ogho-Oghene Egwero

Triple Jump 5 Tosin Oke

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August 22 , 2015

Wenger dismisses Ozil exit rumours

Media got it wrong on Pedro, says Van Gaal

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anchester United manager Louis van Gaal says the media were wrong to state that he wanted to sign Pedro from Barcelona.

The Spanish international completed a

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rsene Wenger has dismissed reports that Arsenal’s record signing, Mesut Ozil, could leave the club amid reported interest from Besiktas and Juventus.

Ozil cost the Gunners £42 million when he signed from Real Madrid two years ago and Wenger insists that the 26-year-old German will stay in north London this summer.

“He is a wonderful player who is completely committed to the club and focused on getting some good results,” Wenger said on Friday.

move to Chelsea on Thursday in a £21.4m deal following several weeks of speculation linking him with a switch to Old Trafford.

It was reported that United chief executive Ed Woodward was in Barcelona on Wednesday to conclude the deal with the final stage of negotiation being the fee.

But Van Gaal says such reports are false and that much of what has been written about his club’s involvement in the transfer has been inaccurate.

“I can’t tell you about these events and I have said it before,” said Van Gaal. “All we are doing is guiding a process and in that process we make decisions.

“I think when we wanted Pedro; there was no problem because there was a clause in his contract so it was an easy contract.

Van Gaal

Bartra plays down Pedro, Xavi exit

Ozil

Pepe signs new Madrid deal

Guardiolan backs Costa to succeed at Bayern

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eal Madrid defender Pepe has committed himself to the club by signing a contract that will expire in 2017.

The Portugal international had entered the final year of his deal and, after Sergio Ramos penned an extension earlier this week, the club has moved to tie down another long-term servant.

Pepe, who joined the Santiago Bernabeu side from Porto in 2007, remains a key part of the side, having featured in 27 Liga games last term.

The 32-year-old has won two league and Copa del Rey titles, and he has lifted the Champions League once with the Santiago Bernabeu club.

Pepe

Costa

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ep Guardiola says Bayern Munich can expect great things from Douglas Costa after the winger’s bright start to life at the Bundesliga champions.

The Bavarian side started their league campaign with a 5-0 win over Hamburg, with the Brazilian attacker the star of the show as he scored one and set up another in Franck Ribery’s absence.

Costa signed for Bayern this summer from Shakhtar Donetsk for 30 million euro and Guardiola insists there is much more to come from him.

“This is just the beginning,” the Spaniard said. “So far Costa has done well. However, we did not sign him just for one week, but for four years.”

Pritchard extends Tottenham contract

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lex Pritchard has signed a new four-year deal with Tottenham.

The 22-year-old returned to White Hart Lane at the end of the season following a hugely successful spell on loan at Championship side Brentford.

His form earned him a place in Gareth

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES Pritchard

Today’s Matches Man Utd v Newcastle

12: 45

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa

15:00

Leicester v Tottenham

15: 00

Norwich v Stoke

15:00

Sunderland v Swansea

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West Ham v Bournemouth

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Southgate’s England U-21 squad for the summer’s European Championships.

Now back at Spurs, Pritchard has been brought into the first team picture by boss Mauricio Pochettino and is yet to make an appearance this season due to injury but has been building up his fitness with the U-21 side.

Off the field, Tottenham have been working on a new deal for the midfielder, which was clinched on Friday.

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arcelona will miss forward Pedro and midfielder Xavi following their recent exits but the Spanish and European champions have plenty of talent to replace them, defender Marc Bartra said on Friday.

Pedro, who had limited playing time last season, wrapped up a move to English Premier League champions Chelsea worth around 30 million euros on Thursday, while Xavi called time on a glittering Barca career and left for Qatari side Al Sadd at the end of last season.

Pedro’s departure has prompted suggestions that Barca coach Luis Enrique could be short on effective options in attack, especially if Lionel Messi, Neymar or Luis Suarez pick up an injury, but Barta thinks otherwise.

“Pedro and Xavi gave us a great deal and we will miss them,” Bartra told a news conference ahead of Barca’s opening La Liga match at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

“Teams like Barca have this advantage: very good players leave and others arrive who adapt to help us in competition and so that we have a good level,” Bartra said.

“When you have effective academy graduates together with the best in the world from outside the level, the team is unbeatable.”

Bartra.

West Brom targets Fazio

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est Brom is set to complete the signing of defender Federico Fazio from Premier League rivals Tottenham.

Aránguiz sidelined with torn achilles

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ayer Leverkusen midfielder Charles Aránguiz, who signed for the Bundesliga club only last week, has torn the achilles tendon in his left foot and will be out for “many months”, the club said on Friday.

The 26-year-old Chile international, who won the Copa América with the national team last month and also reached South America’s Copa Libertadores semi-finals with the Brazilian club Internacional, had joined for a reported 12m on 13 August on a five-year deal.

He will now undergo surgery next week for the injury sustained during an evening training session on Thursday, Leverkusen said, estimating he will be missing for several months.

“We are all devastated and of course are suffering along with him,” said the sports director Rudi Völler in a statement.

“Charles was looking forward to his first Bundesliga game against Hannover 96. We will do everything so that he comes back from his serious injury as soon as possible.”

Albion manager Tony Pulis confirmed on Friday that the 28-year-old Argentine was at the club’s training ground.

“The lad is here and having a medical and we’re hoping to get it done,” said Pulis during his news conference before Sunday’s game against Chelsea.

“He’s a very good defender coming from a top club like Tottenham and the boy wants to play regular football.”

The former Stoke boss added: “He wants to show that he can not only compete but do well in the Premier League and I think that ambition, drive and desire are what you need in your club.

“He’s been a top player for Sevilla and I think he will be a top signing for the club.”

Centre-back Fazio joined Spurs last summer and made 32 appearances in all competitions last season, but has yet to appear for the club this campaign.

Fazio

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August 22, 2015

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Tel: 08023367071

International Pairs debuts at Lakowe Lakes

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Fabio Borini:

akowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate has been scheduled to host this year’s edition of the Regional Finals of International Pairs Golf Championship. The one-day stableford, all-score count competition will tee off at the highbrow club on September 12th, the Chief Executive Officer of Falcons Golf Development Company Limited, the new franchise holder of the event in Nigeria, Remi Olukoya has said.

According to him, over 46-pairs are expected to take part in the competition. With 16-pairs already taken, the remaining 30-pairs, Olukoya says would be given out on first come first serve basis.

Winners of the competition would be given an all expense paid trip to the world finals of International Pairs holding at Marriott Denia, Alicante, in Spain in October this year.

Speaking in Lagos during the week, Olukoya said, the repackaged International Pairs competition would be given its best shot ever, saying every participants in this year’s edition will have some-

thing to cheer about.

Besides the all-round entertainment, Olukoya says it will be golf at its very best and will produce quality winners.

“We will give this event our best shot. I can assure you that it’s going to be one of the best organized events ever. We have made good arrangement to take care of all the participants. And unlike the previous editions, the 2015 International Pairs will be a ‘shotgun’ format, so that we have enough time to enjoys ourselves”, Olukoya said.

While all attention seems focused on the coming event, Olukoya says his ultimate dream is the future of the game, explaining that he is already working on a dream of establishing the first of its kind Golf academy in parts of Lagos State that will take care of kids and the future of the game.

“We are looking for ways to accommodate kids in all our events and so we have on our card this year, free golf coaching lessons for select schools in Lagos State.

This will go on while the adults are on the golf course playing.

I knew since day one I’d marry her

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remier League footballer Fabio Borini has revealed he knew instantly he had found The One after the Italian striker tied the knot with model Erin O’Neill.

The newly-wed got hitched at an idyllic location in the Tuscan region of Italy earlier this year but exclusive pictures of the happy couple have now been published.

The pair married at Castello di Casole, a luxury five-star estate situated in 4,200 acres of picturesque countryside, on June 6.

Borini was looking sharp in a purple-twinged three-piece suit and bow tie, while bride Erin, a fashion model, looked stunning in a glamorous, figure-hugging gown with a long train and veil.

The Liverpool player proclaimed in an exclusive interview with the magazine Erin won his heart as soon as the pair stated dating.

‘I actually felt that she was the one I was going to marry since day one,’ Borini explained in the exclusive.

The couple got engaged in June last year, giving Borini plenty of time to start planning his speech, which he insisted was incredibly moving.

“This weekend I married my best friend. Thank you to all of my amazing friend and family and of course HUSBAND for the best weekend of our lives.

We love you all”.

‘Even a few of my Italian friends who don’t understand English cried at my speech!’

Any wedding wouldn’t be

complete without some sort of minor mishap and the celebrity couple’s was no different, as Erin explains.

‘I forgot to throw my bouquet!

I only remembered at 3am so I grabbed one of the bridesmaid’s bouquets and threw that.’

‘Everybody was drunk by the time they attempted to catch it!’

Life off the pitch appears to be going better for the Italian striker than on it. Borini no longer features in Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers’ plans and has been frozen out of the squad.

The 24-year-old has not featured in either of the Reds’ first two fixtures of the new Premier League season and the club are looking to offload him before the transfer window closes on September 1.

Remi Olukoya, the Chief Executive Officer of Falcons Golf Development Company Limited, at last year’s world final of the International Pairs championship.

Woods shots 64 at Wyndham Championship

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ormer world number one Tiger Woods shot his lowest round for two years with a 64 at the Wyndham Championship in Sedgefield, USA. The 14-times major champion finished the first round two shots off the lead on six under par, a week after missing the cut at the US PGA Championship.

Woods, 39, made seven birdies and one bogey and was happy with both his iron plan and his putting.

“They were both solid today,

it was nice,” said Woods.

“I was telling caddie Joe LaCava it’s finally nice to get something out of a round, a round that could have been two to four under par, it’s finally six.”

Woods, who has missed the cut at his last three majors, shot his best round since the 2013 WGC Bridgestone, 749 days ago.

Germany’s Martin Kaymer also posted an opening 64 in North Carolina, with Americans Erik Compton and William McGirt the early leaders on eight under.

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Oliseh commends home base players

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agles coach Sunday Oliseh has said he is pleased the players from the local league have put to practice some of the tips they learnt in their first two trainings when they beat an academy team 1-0 in a test game on Thursday.

Gbolahan Salami scored the match winner from the penalty spot after he was brought down on his way to goal.

“I am pleased with the players because they tried to bring to play some of the things we tried to teach them on Tuesday and Wednesday; like how to possess the ball,” said Oliseh.

Oliseh, Siasia agree to work together Super Eagles players celebrate after scoring a goal in a match

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uper Eagles’ Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh and his U-23 team counterpart, Samson Siasia, have told themselves they must work together for each other to succeed as Nigeria football looks to a much brighter future.

Both respected technicians met at the office of the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi on Friday afternoon as Oliseh came to familiarize with NFF Management and Staff.

T

he Organizing Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation will meet in a few days to decide on a new date and venue for the grand finale of the 2015 men and women Federation Cup competitions.

NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, explained on Friday that Nigeria’s men and women teams heading to the 11th All-Africa Games will travel about the same day as the earlier proposed date for the grand finale.

“It is true that at the draw ceremony for the national finals of the Federation Cup, the NFF had picked August 30 as date for the grand finale. But a number of factors have now combined to make the date unrealistic.

“Yes, we have the finalist teams in both the men and women events. But our Super Falcons and the U-23 men’s team will travel to Brazzaville for the All-Africa Games at about the same day, and a number of the teams involved in the grand finale have players in the two teams.”

Sanusi assured that the NFF Organizing Committee, headed by 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi, will hold a meeting soon to determine the new date.

“The 11th All-Africa Games will end on September 19. We will pick a date for the Federation Cup grand finale after this date,

“Whatever we might feel, the truth is that we are both condemned to work together. We have no choice than to pool resources together and see how we can both help ourselves succeed in our different but complementary tasks,” Oliseh, who was the first to arrive, said.

Both men were integral part of Nigeria’s Golden Generation ; the 1990s squad that took Nigeria to number five in the world rank-

ings, won the Africa Cup of Nations and reached the Round of 16 at consecutive FIFA World Cup final competitions. Oliseh was also in the U-23 team that won Olympic gold in 1996.

“I have coached the Super Eagles before and I know the nature of the job. It is no picnic. But we will always be in contact so that we can help each other at all times,” responded Siasia.

While Siasia’s U-23 team is

but most likely the date would be towards the end of September.”

Bayelsa Queens of Yenagoa

and Sunshine Queens of Akure will contest the women’s Federation Cup final, while Lobi Stars

heading to the All-Africa Games in September, and also looks forward to participation at the African Olympics qualifying tournament (Africa U-23 Cup of Nations) in Senegal in December, Oliseh will be frisking for three points against Tanzania in the race for a place at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, and also has 2016 African Nations Championship and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying races to deal with later in the year.

NFF to pick new date for Fed Cup final

of Makurdi and Akwa United of Uyo will battle for the men’s gong.

AAG: Igali predicts medal haul for Team Nigeria Ifeanyi Eduzor

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resident of Nigeria Wrestling Federation, Daniel Igalli believes that the return of wrestling and weightlifting as medal awarding events at the forthcoming All African Games in Congo Brazzaville will enable Team Nigeria register good outing at the quadrennial Games.

At the last Games in Maputo, Mozambique, Nigeria placed third on the overall medals table behind South Africa and Egypt which Igalli attributed to the absence of the country’s traditional areas of strength, wrestling and weightlifting which were not included as a medal awarding event at the Games.

“I am very optimistic that with the inclusion of wrestling and weightlifting as medal awarding event at the Brazzaville Games, Nigeria will improve on their position in the 2011 edition.

On his expectations from wrestlers at the Games, he stated that

the wrestlers who will represent the country are in high spirit with a declaration that he is targeting at least 15 medals from the sport.

“Our last outing in the All Africa Games was at Algiers 2007 and we won six gold and four bronze medals. But this time, we want to surpass that record and win at least 15 medals for the country.

Igali

... As Gumel promises volleyball medal

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resident of Nigeria Olympic Committee, Habu Gumel is optimistic Nigeria volleyball team to the forthcoming All Africa Games will give good account of themselves when hostilities begin in Congo Brazzaville even as he charged handlers of the team to give the players the needed training that will enable them excel in Congo.

Gumel who doubles as President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation noted that the qualification of the country’s Beach Volleyball team to the Games was a major achievement for the country, expressing the hope that the team will do the country proud in the

Central African nation.

“I am impressed with the performance of our volleyball team in recent times and I hope they will replicate it in Congo and win medal for the country.

Team Nigeria has won several medals in past editions of the All Africa Games through the male team, but the gold has been elusive. The nearest Nigeria has gotten was the 2-3 defeat to Egypt in the final during the Abuja 2003 edition tagged COJA Games Meanwhile Nigeria volleyball team (Men and Women) are presently in Ghana for the African Zone 111 championship, which will also serve as build up to the 2015 All Africa Games.

Oliseh

Onyeali set for Oriental clash

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bia Warriors attacking midfielder, Ifeanyi Onyeali will be available for selection against oriental neighbours, Heartland.

The former Bussdor star was absent from the sides immediate past two away matches at El Kanemi Warriors and Wikki Tourists respectively due to malaria fever attack.

Warriors will host the Naze Millionaires in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League match day 25 clash at the Umuahia Township Stadium.

The Umuahia outfit stunned their illustrious opponents 1-0 in the first fixture clash at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri.

Onyeali said the clash will have the trappings of a traditional local derby but his side is hopeful to emerge winners at the end of the day.

“I’m 100% fit after the bout of malaria attack which sidelined me from our last two away matches at El Kanemi Warriors and Wikki Tourists.

“I’m available for selection in Sunday’s NPFL match day 25 clash against Heartland in Umuahia.

“The clash is a local derby and not going to be easy though we pray to come out winners”, said Onyeali to supersport.com

Onyeali

The All Stars team of Kirikiri has won the 2015 edition of Micura Fly Emirates championship when they defeated Simeone FC by 5-4 penalties in the final played at the Kirikiri Play Ground.

Crime Watch

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

August 22, 2015

Transport union boss, gang leader face murder charge

Patience Ogbo

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Unit Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers Lateef Akinpelu, 50, and a suspected gang leader, one Muritala Aweniyi, 26, have been arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate Court over allegation of serial murder of some members of the Union and other residents of Mushin, Surulere and Ebute-Metta area of the state.

Akinpelu popularly known as “Obey” was, until his arrest, the unit chairman of the NURTW at the Idi-Araba area of the state and the alleged leader of the “Tanifeku” gang while Aweniya, nicknamed Horsepain, claimed to be the NURTW secretary at Idumota area and leader of the Bukania Confraternity in Mushin area of the state.

The accused were arrested by a team of policemen from the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) Adeniji Adele Central police station Lagos, led by Inspector Banjoko Oluwemimo.

Aweniya who is facing an eight count charge was arrested by the police following the brutal murder of the NURTW unit chairman one Olayemi Mathew Eniola popularly known as Esi-Oluwo at Oshodi area of the state in April.

Aweniya who claimed to have dropped out from studying banking and Finance at the Polytechnic Ibadan is also being accused of leading a gang that allegedly killed a 16 -year- old boy identified as Oluwaseun Babalola and the shooting of the deceased’s mother one Mary Babalola at the Owosheni Isola street Ilasamaja Lagos.

Count 1 read : That you Muritala Aweniya aka Horsepain on or about the 10th day of February,2015 at Owosheni Isola Street,Ilasmaja in the Lagos Magisterial district, conspired with others now at large to commit felony to wit: Murder and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 231 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Count II read: that you Muritala Aweniya and others now at large on the same date and place in the aforesaid magisterial district unlawfully killed one Oluwaseun Babalola by shooting him with gun and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 221 of the criminal laws of Lagos 2011.

Count V stated “that you Muritala Aweniya and others now at large on did manage or assist in the management of an unlawful society by the name “Bukania Confraternity” and thereby

The suspects

committed an offence punishable under section 41 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.

Count VIII read “That you Muritala Aweniya and others now at large on the

same date and place in the aforesaid magisterial district unlawfully killed one Olayemi Mathew Eniola by using hammer to kill him and thereby committed an offence punishable under sec-

tion 221 of the criminal law of Lagos State”.

According to police investigation, the gang allegedly killed Eniola during CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

Jelousy lover sets rival lover, children ablaze

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man, said to be one of the lovers of a married woman, has set ablaze the woman, his rival and three of the woman’s children in Ede, Osun State.

Our correspondent gathered on Thursday that the suspect, whose identity had yet to be made public, stormed the house of the woman, Hadijat Adegoke, and found another lover, Lawal Munirudeen, there.

Enraged by this, he was said to have bought some petrol and allegedly poured it inside the room where the

lovers were said to have slept and set everybody inside the room ablaze, apart from one if the woman’s children, who was not asleep as of the time of attack.

Out of the four kids, only 12-year-old Ishwat escaped unhurt.

Fawas (13), Sodiq (eight), and Fathia (six), who live with their mother in her newly built house, were seriously burnt.

Hadijat and Lawal were alleged to have died at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, where they were rushed to while the three kids are said

to be responding to treatment at the Muslim Hospital, Ede, where doctors were said to be battling to safe their lives.

The woman was said to have been separated from her husband and moved to the new house, believed to have been built for her by some of her friends.

Head, Public Relations and Protocol of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in the state, Mr. Wale Folarin, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

50

CRIME WATCH

August 22, 2015

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Dismissed soldier, Man O’ War officer arrested for armed robbery, illegal gun possession Patience Ogbo

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olicemen attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, are investigating four suspects over allegation of armed robbery and illegal gun possession.

The suspects include a dismissed 38-yearold soldier, who gave his name as William Essien.

Other suspects include a 54 year-old commercial motorcycle rider and father of four identified as Adah Ojoo; Victor Etim, who claimed to be an official with the Man O’ War and one Monday Eguoaje who claimed to be an auxiliary legion official.

The suspects were arrested over allegation of attempting to rob a man driving a Toyota Rav 4 vehicle at the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos State.

It was gathered that the suspects allegedly trailed the victim from the Sango area of Ogun State to Iyana Ipaja where they attempted to steal his vehicle before urchins foiled the attempt and descended on the suspects.

It was further gathered that the commotion the incident generated attracted mobile police men stationed under the Iyana Ipaja Bridge and they promptly arrested the suspects and took them to the Elere Police Station in the area.

Narrating how they were arrested, Ojoo, one of the suspects said: “We were coming from Sango Otta that fateful day in a Nissan Premia car. I was driving. Four of us were on our way to Monday’s office at Ikeja when a man driving a Toyota Rav 4 ran into us and destroyed the rear light of our car. He drove off, and we had to chase him. We chased him down to Iyana Ipaja. This was around 7:30pm. I used our car to block him so as to prevent him from escaping. Monday and

Solomon Arase, IGP

the others were wearing their Nigerian legion (ex soldier) uniform. Monday came down from the car and dragged the man out and slapped him. We were dragging the man to our car when some area boys came to his rescue. They descended on us and held us to the ground. The commotion attracted the policemen stationed under the Iyana Ipaja Bridge, and they came and took us away to a nearby police station.

The area boys told the police that we are armed robbers, and the Police conducted a search on our vehicle and they found a cut to size locally made gun. That was how we were arrested and transferred to SARS.” Asked how they came about the gun, Ojoo continued:

Mr Fatai Owoseni, Lagos Commissioner of Police

“It was Monday that asked me to get the gun for him. I bought it from a hunter for N15,000. Monday told me that he wants to use the gun for his job as a security man with the Nigerian Legion.”

Speaking on his alleged role, Monday said he wanted to use the gun at his security post.

“This is all a misunderstanding. Actually, I was the one who told Ojoo to get the gun for me. We are not armed robbers.

That fateful day, the man driving the Toyota Rav 4 hit our car and drove off as if nothing happened. We chased and blocked him to force him to pay for what he did to our car. About the gun; I am a dismissed soldier. I was a soldier with the Nigerian Army for five years, but I was dismissed

because I got someone to impersonate my father and the person signed on my recruitment form. I did this because my father did not allow me to join the army.

It was after five years that the Army Authority discovered that I lied, and I was dismissed. I joined the Nigerian Legion as an auxiliary official, and I was posted to guard a company. I got the gun for my work. I wanted to register it, but we were arrested and the gun was recovered from my car.”

The other suspect, Abel added.

“I am the owner of the Nissan car that we drove that day. I am a Man O War official. I have known Monday for close to six years. We are securitymen. We are not armed robbers.”

Transport union boss, gang leader face murder charge CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49

a rally at Oshodi area of the state by using hammer to hit him severely on his head and left him in the pool of his blood.

Akinpelu who is facing a two count charge bordering on Murder was accused of leading a gang to kill one Olusupo Abass a commercial motorcycle rider and an NURTW member on February 21st at Agoro street Mushin Lagos.

It was gathered that the gang after killing Abass, burnt his corpse and left it to rot before policemen came and recovered the body.

Count IX stated: “That you Lateef Akinpelu aka “Obey” on or about the 21st day of February 2015 at the Agoro Street, Mushin in the Lagos Magisterial

District conspired with others now at large to commit felony to with murder and thereby committed offence punishable under section 231 of the criminal law of Lagos State 2011.

Count X stated that you Lateef Akinpelu and others now at large on thesame date and place in the aforesaid magisterial district unlawfully killed one Olasupo Abass by shooting him with a gun and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 221 of the criminal law of Lagos state 2011”.

According to the police record, Akinpelu was arrested and charged to court in 2012 for the alleged killing of one Wasiu Ajose at the Mushin area of the state but he was released after spending four months in prison after his lawyer got a motion bail and has since not returned to court over that case.

A victim

Another victim

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Crime Watch

August 22, 2015

Police smash goat stealing syndicate

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Nigerian love scammer bags jail sentence

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he Police authorities in Delta state last Monday burst a criminal syndicate that specialized in stealing goats from the communities and selling them to restaurants and hotel operators in the big cities.

The Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Celestina Kalu said in a statement Wednesday in Asaba, that three members of the syndicate fled and abandoned their loot during a stop and search operation by the police recently.

She said: ” On August 15, 2015 at about 8pm, a police highway patrol team on stop and search duty along Sapele/Benin expressway accosted a Toyota Camry Salon car with Reg. No. Edo 782 AP with three occupants.

“When the vehicle was flagged down to stop, the driver refused, so the police team pursue the car towards Benin road, where the suspects abandoned the car and escaped into the bush.

“When the vehicle was searched, ten live and one dead goats suspected to have been stolen were found inside the car booth.”

Kalu said that the car was subsequently impounded and the goats recovered, adding that investigation has commenced to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

In a related development, the police in the state have also recovered arms and ammunition from suspected armed robbers who abandoned their vehicle and fled after police bursted a robbery operation in Warri.

The police spokeswoman said the incident happened on August 17, 2015 after a police patrol team attached to Ugborikoko Division received a distress call that a gang of armed robbers was operating along NNPC Housing Complex road, Warri.

She said: “Consequently, the police team moved to the scene and on sighting the Police patrol vehicle, the three hoodlums in a red Vento salon car, with Reg. No. Delta EFR 11 DE jumped out of the vehicle and took to their heels.

“The police team promptly searched the vehicle and recovered one AK 49 rifle, No.1969, 805536 with five rounds of live ammunition, a pair of plate number.”

Kalu said that all the recovered items and the abandoned Vento car have since been registered as exhibits, while the police has intensified efforts to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Agbonifoayetan’s fake identity card

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Nigerian, Robinson Agbonifoayetan, has been jailed for three years in the UK for swindling more than N93.4m from two women who thought he was an American diplomat.

Agbonifoayetan posed as a diplomat called Christopher Williams and used a forged United Nations diplomatic card to collect money from two women whom he told that a marine officer called General James Krulak (in one case) and General James Raul (in the other) wanted to move to the UK and marry them.

His victims are in their 60s and were both looking for companionship.

The 32-year-old, who resides in Welling, south east London, later had series of separate meetings with

his victims in London where he convinced them to hand over their retirement money to him.

One of them subsequently transferred around £260,000(N80.9m) into Ghanaian bank accounts, using up her life savings, pawning jewellery, selling her car and taking out loans to make the payments.

She was told it was for the transportation and protection of a box allegedly containing a retirement fund of £8.5million.

The other became suspicious and she contacted police officers.

Agbonifoayetan was arrested, prosecuted and on Thursday at Isleworth Crown Court, he was jailed for three years.

Agbonifoayetan

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ted the offence on Aug. 13, at about 2:00 p.m., at No. 17, Tola Oduntan St., Shomolu, Lagos.

She alleged that the accused, a cotenant, saw the 10-year-old girl washing plates and suddenly covered her mouth with one hand, and indecently pressed her breast with the other hand.

The prosecutor explained that the accused was apprehended when the 10-year-old girl reported the incident

to her parents.

The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 135 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Ekwueme, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs. F.A Adeeyo, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till Oct. 26.

Man arrested for fondling girl’s breast

52-year-old man, Maxwell Ekwueme, was on Wednesday arraigned in a Yaba Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly touching the breast of a 10-year-old girl without her consent.

The accused, who resides at No, 17, Tola Oduntan St., Shomolu, Lagos, is standing trial on a count-charge of sexual abuse.

The prosecutor, Rita Momah, told the court that the accused commit-

August 22, 2015

52

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Making it big with PVC pipes, fittings

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VC or Vinyl as it is commonly called is used in variety of commonly consumer products.

Vinyl is used in building products such as vinyl ceiling, PVC pipes, windows and doors, roofs etc.

It is established amongst scientist that there is no other plastic that possesses such direct environmental and human friendly as PVC throughout its entire product lifecycle.

The world all over has moved towards PVC products such as PVC pipes, PVC windows and doors and ceilings because it is rated as the most environmental friendly. It requires no painting, it is also termite proof, fire proof, typhoon rated, excellent security and above all excellent value for money.

Apart from PVC pipes and fittings, an investor can diversify into PVC windows, doors and ceiling production.

PVC windows, doors and ceiling have been proved to give house its distinctive look.

From outside, they give the house its personal characteristics and inside they give the house the right it needs and the aesthetic appearance.

It has been established facts that PVC products are easy to maintain, anti-fungi, economical, easy to install, excellent endurance to varying weather conditions and also 100% mechanically recyclable.

Due to all these advantages, PVC products are used widely by different industries ranging from construction industry, automobile industry, electrical industry, advertising industry, civil industry, woolen industry, air-conditioning and refrigeration to mention but few.

From research conducted, Nigerians have fallen in love with PVC products and the demand has gone up tremendously.

As a result, many of these products are imported from oversea producers, since very few Nigerian producers cannot meet up with the rising demand for the products.

Many more investors are required in the country to boost supply and cushion the effect of huge, expanding local demand.

According to international plastic pipe and fittings Association (PPFA), the international acceptable standard must be applied in any part of the world. Based on their recommendation, the proposed project must maintain the internationally acceptable standard.

This recognition is vital to manufacturers because it provides some assurance of consistency amongst regulatory authorities referencing these standards for compliance purposes.

There are various stipulated standard for production of water pipes, drain,

waste & vent pipes, process pipe, sewer pipe, folded PVC pipes etc. The colors are usually used for PVC pipes and there are recommended color codes.

The implication of this standard requirement is that any prospective investor in Nigeria needs professional advice of consultants.

To invest in this project prospective investors needed to have at least 2 plots of land for takeoff.

The machines required for the setting up of this project include- Hot/Cooling mixer, automatic loader, twin screw extruder and calibrating system, vacuum & calibrating tank, water cooling tank printer, Haul off, cutter and stacker.

Details of the machines, sources and prices will be given to prospective investors.

There are various sizes of the pipes in the market. However, based on our market research, not all of them are marketable.

Some are more in demand than others.

Details will also be given to prospective investors.

The project needs constant power supply, therefore there is need to make arrangement for standby power generating sets.

This may be a setback to some prospective investors, but with the efforts of the federal government under the leadership of President President Goodluck Jonathan, power supply in Nigeria will in near future be regularized.

Moreover in the feasibility studies carried out, a large amount of money is earmarked for powering of the generator set, yet huge profits are recorded.

Generally, any investor into this venture should not entertain any fear of loss, since the market is available I Nigeria and other ECOWAS sub regions.

The basic raw materials for the project are PVC Resins and master batch. All these raw materials are locally available. Details will be given to prospective investors.

The production technology is also very easy to operate. Briefly, the thermoplastic PVC powder (PVC Resins) is compounded, melted add stabilizers and extruded into the size(s) and colors of pipes required.

Detailed production processes will be made available to prospective investors.

For the required manpower, the number depend on the following departmentsresearch & product development, design & manufacturing department, testing/ inspection & quality control department, marketing, accounts & administration and production delivering & installations.

There should be other supporting staff.

Details will also be given to prospective investors.

Hot cooling mixer, automatic loader

For the cost implications, we advise that comprehensive feasibility studies be conducted first. The sum required for the project set up will depend on so many factors which will include capital project costs and provision for working capital & other operational expenses for minimum of six (6) months. Details will be given to prospective investors.

Generally, the profit margin is very encouraging with over 68% return on investment within the first three years of operation. The payback period is within two (2) years if well managed.

For success of this project, any prospective investor (s) should make sure that the following conclusions are metmanufacture products of quality exactly as per customers specification and requests; offer products that meet varied preferences of customers; provide accurate, quality dimensions; assist customers from initial design, to final production and also installations as well as offering advice on any modifications where and when necessary. Other important factors to consider will be given to prospective investors.

Implementation: For successful

implementation of this project, the prospective investors) needs to work with a consultant, conduct a comprehensive and bankable feasibility studies, site the project in a very good location, and ensure that customers’ needs are met.

For details on the comprehensive and bankable feasibility studies, sourcing of funds for the project, site planning and recruitment of highly experienced personnel please contact the writer.

Implementation:

To handle the implementation of this project professionally, prospective investors should embark upon a detailed bankable feasibility studies which the writer (project consultants) will be available to carry out the feasibility studies reports/business plans.

The writer will also be on hand to guide prospective investors professionally to ensure good packaging, quality products, efficient/effective management and marketing teams installed for profits.

The writer can also assist in implementing the project on a turnkey basis if contacted. For details, please contact the writer

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

53

SOUTH EAST

Appointment saga: FUTO defends elevation of Asiabaka

Chris Njoku Owerri

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anagement of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), yesterday, defended the elevation of wife of the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. (Mrs.) Ihuoma

Asiabaka, to professorial rank, saying the promotion followed due process.

The management was indicted in a report published in a national daily (not National Mirror) that Prof. Asiabaka’s professorial rank did not follow due process.

Reacting to the publi-

cation, the management stated that asides being subjected to internal processes, Prof. Asiabaka, who was appointed a Professor of Management Technology in October 2014, also went through external assessment before being elevated to that position.

Addressing selected newsmen jointly at the

university’s Council Senate Chamber, the Registrar, Mr. Orje Ishegnor; Director, Academic Planning, Prof.

Gibson Okorafor and Director, University Admission, Prof. Israel Chukwuemeka Ndukwe, maintained that the appointment of Prof. (Mrs.) Asiabaka was neither induced nor influenced by anybody as she

was promoted to professorial rank alongside five other persons.

“The university system is the most democratic in the country because you have people that are well read, very knowledgeable, very critical and independent minded. The university is run through committee system; it is a structured society where everything you do has to conform to the law establishing the place.”

In the case of Prof. (Mrs.) Asiabaka, the management said the relevant committees had to sit on her case as well as other persons who were eligible to be considered to professorial rank.

According to the management, Asiabaka, who is the Director, Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies in the university, was also subjected to external assessment, adding that at the end of it, the council was satisfied that due process was followed.

They explained further that Asiabaka was already a senior lecturer for many years at the Imo State University (IMSU), adding that she was due for about two to three years in that university for readership or associate professor position before she joined FUTO in 2011.

NDDC supports Imo hospitals with essential drugs

T L-R: Immediate Past President/CEO, Neimeth International Pharmaceutical Plc, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa ; MD/CEO of Slot Systems Limited, Mr. Nnamdi Ezeigbo and Nkechi Ezeigbo, during the launching of Maxi Sam’s book, Portharcourt Volunteers recently.

... as tribunal upholds Ugwuanyi’s election

Dennis Agbo Enugu

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nugu state Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, can now concentrate on his fouryear mandate as the Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Enugu yesterday upheld his election.

The tribunal dismissed the sole petition filed against his election in the April 11, 2015 governorship election.

It struck out the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Okey Ezea, on the grounds that it was frivolous, lacked merit and against court processes.

This was followed by a cost of N150, 000 to each of the respondents in the petition.

As soon as the news of the tribunal’s decision filtered out to a large crowd of anxious supporters of Gov. Ugwuanyi, the entire court premises went into jubilation, and started singing victory songs, eulogizing the governor.

Ugwuanyi on receipt of

the news of the judgment drove round the major streets of Enugu in company of local government chairmen to thank the people of the state for their support and prayers.

Delivering the judgment which lasted over three hours, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Kwajafa Hildad, held that it had earlier in the course of the hearing struck out several paragraphs of Ezea’s petition for being imprecise, vague, relating to party nomination which is a preelection matter, and containing criminal allegation against people who were not made parties to the pe-

tition.

He added that the petitioners’ allegation on over-voting and non accreditation through the manipulation of the Card Readers Machine by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other respondents were not sufficiently proved as it is only voters’ register that could determine the number of voters that participated in an election, stating that the petitioner failed to provide the voters’ registers to prove his case.

The tribunal also noted that the petitioners’ witnesses who were only 6 persons drawn from 6 polling

units out of the 2,958 polling units in the state, was not sufficient to provide enough evidence to support his case, rendering it incompetent.

It further held that even at that, the six witnesses admitted that the governorship election was free, fair and peaceful with minor irregularities which were not sufficient enough to cancel the election. It deposed that the petitioners also failed to prove their allegation of falsification of result figures, maintaining that mere assertion that the figures were falsified was not enough evidence to allow them their prayers.

hree hospitals in Imo State have benefited from the on-going distribution of essential drugs and medical supplies by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The medical items were handed over to officials of the state’s Ministry of Health yesterday at the Oguta General Hospital. Similar donations were made to hospitals in Akwa Ibom, Delta, Cross River and Bayelsa states recently.

In his address at the presentation ceremony, the NDDC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Barr Bassey Dan-Abia, said that the commission conducted comprehensive needs assessment of primary health care system of all the nine states of the region, and came to the conclusion that primary health care needed to be strengthened.

The Managing Director, who was represented by the NDDC Director of Education, Health and Social Services, Dr. Solomon Ita,

said that the commission received requests from the various states for support with essential medications, vaccines and cold chain, medical equipment, medical waste management vehicles among others.

He said that apart from giving out essential drugs and consumables, the NDDC had also donated medical equipment to some hospitals, including the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, the Health Centre at Ugnorodo in Delta State and the Cottage Hospital, Ekpene Obo in Akwa Ibom State.

The NDDC boss said that the commission had procured six mobile vaccine cold chains to be donated to primary health institutions in each of the nine states covered by the interventionist agency. He added that the flagship of the commission’s intervention in the medical sector, the free medical mission, would soon commence in hospitals across the region.

unemployment in the country.

The firm’s image maker also disclosed that the management had within the period between 2008 and 2013 paid the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) now Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) the sum of N33 billion as electricity bills.

He stressed that the company had always settled its

electricity bills anywhere they have their operational plants to avoid distraction despite having other sources of electricity.

Answering further question during the session, he highlighted that NBC operates 12 bottling plants in the country, in addition to 50 distribution depots and a widespread network of distribution partners across the country.

NBC commences work on N80bn mega plant project in Imo

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he Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd has revealed that its N80 billion plant project would soon commence at its Okigwe site which on completion will employ over 2000 youths across the country. It also disclosed that the firm had paid over N33 billion electricity bill consumed in five years.

This was made known by the Head of Public Af-

fairs Communication, Mr. Uzo Odenigbo, during an interactive session with newsmen in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.

According to him, work on the proposed site would have commenced before now, but did not because of some challenges confronting the company, adding that despite the delay, arrangements had been concluded to start work on the

30,000 hectares of land soon.

He however denied allegation of rift between the company and Imo State Government over the said land following the abandonment of the land many years after it was handed over to the NBC. According to him, when the plant becomes operational, many Nigerians would be employed, as it would reduce level of youth

54

REGIONAL NEWS

August 22, 2015

SOUTH SOUTH

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Bakassi returnees task SEMA, NEMA on permanent resettlement Richard Ndoma CALABAR

T The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) reclaiming portholes on Amukpe-Eku-Abraka-Agbor road in Delta State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

he Bakassi returnees on Friday charged the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency SEMA to Collaborate with National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to find a lasting solution to the permanent

NLC, NUEE picket electricity distribution office in Bayelsa

T

he Nigeria Labour Congress and National Union of Electricity Employees on Friday picketed the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

The NLC and NUEE officials stormed the premises of the PHEDC in Opolo, Yenagoa, and locked the gates and prevented access to the offices.

The development compelled customers to turn back.

Placards with inscriptions as “PHED stop in-

timidation and slavery; Freedom of Association should not be denied staff.

We want a stop to institutionalised casual contract appointment in PHED’’, among others were on display.

The state NLC Chairman, Fred Oruseibo, said the workers’ grievances include arbitrary dismissal and termination of appointments without cogent reasons.

Oruseibo, who is also the Bayelsa state NUEE Chairman, said the company had refused to negotiate its procedural

agreement and conditions of service of staff with labour.

He said the most annoying part was that most of their workers were casual staff.

“We all know that casualisation of workers is against the convention of the International Labour Organisation and against Nigerian labour laws.

“The management of PHEDC refused to negotiate the conditions of service with the staff. They did that in order to enslave the workers,’’ he said.

On the sale of the DIS-

CO, the NLC chairman said when the company bought PHEDC, it sacked 33 operators, who were on salary scale of between N100, 000 and N150, 000 a month.

He said the company contracted their jobs to contractors who they are offering to pay N20, 000 and N30, 000.

“The workers refused and because of that they were sacked without any cogent reason,’’ Mr. Oruseibo said.

The NUEE had in a letter dated July 23, 2015 issued a 14 day ultimatum to

the PHEDC to review casualisation and contract appointment of workers and recall sacked employees or face picketing of its business premises.

Reacting to the issues, the PHEDC Manager Corporate Communications, Jonah Iboma, said that the management was already discussing with the unions.

“We have commenced discussions with NLC to resolve the issues and the workers have agreed to suspend the protest and we have restored normal services,’’ Iboma said.

PCN shuts down 148 medicine shops in C’River Richard Ndoma CALABAR

T

he Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), yesterday, sealed 148 medicine shops in Cross River for unauthorized sales of patent medicines to consumers.

The Deputy Director and Head of Enforcement, PCN, Abuja, Mr Stephen Esumobi, made this known while speaking to journalists in Calabar on Friday.

Esumobi stated that the lock- up exercise was part of the measures taken by

the pharmaceutical council to sensitize and ensure that there was quality distribution of drugs to medicine stores in the state.

The Deputy Director gave other reasons for the closure of the medicine shops to include, operating without the supervision of a pharmacist, poor storage conditions of drugs, low education of medicine vendors among others.

Esumobi maintained that the enforcement was carried out after series of reports of nefarious activities of unregistered

premises who engage in the illegal sale of medicines in the state adding that some of the registered premises were selling beyond the approved list laid down by PCN. He averred that PCN was charged with the responsibility of regulating and controlling the education, training and practice of pharmacy in all ramifications as established by PCN act 2004. ``At the end of our one week enforcement exercise, we visited 198 drugs premises. 148 of

them comprising two pharmacists, 48 patent medicine shops and 98 unregistered premises were sealed for various offences. ``One of the core mandates of PCN is ensuring rational distribution and dispensing of medicines that are safe, effective and of good quality. ``In carrying out this mandate, the PCN established structures such as the Pharmaceutical Inspection Committee in all states of the federation and Abuja. ``These committees inspect and monitor premises where pharmaceutical activities are carried out in line with

PCN guidelines’’, he explained.

He said that the federal government would not tolerate the indiscriminate sale of drugs without submission to regulatory control.

He advised members of the public to purchase their medicines from licensed pharmacies and propriety medicines shops.

He highlighted that those whose shops were sealed would have to visit the PCN office in the state for more education on drug storage, drugs mixing and also to be attached with a supervisor for all related drugs issues.

resettlement of displaced people of Bakassi Peninsula.

Etim Okon, Camp Leader for the returnees briefed journalists at the Magaret Ekpo International Airport Calabar shortly after returning from a 2-Day Consultative Summit organized by Fort Foundation Abuja in Collaboration with National Commission for Refugee Migrants and Internally Displaced persons.

He stated that there was need for the displaced people to permanently get resettled instead of being left to take refuge in a primary school at Ikot Eyo Edem.

Also speaking, Chief Executive Officer of Rhema Care, Eric Shu, said, “We have been working with other international partners, we are just coming back from a summit which was organized to bring back stakeholder, government agencies to look at issues of National legal and policy framework, problems of internally displacement in Nigeria.

Shu said, “That is why we got the representatives of Bakassi returnees to be part of that discussion and to join hands in defining the policy agenda for quite a long time. Bakassi issue had been relegated to the background given the fact that the whole attention of Nigeria government is being diverted to the North East.”

The CEO of Rhema Care Non Governmental Organisation stated that the reason why they got Bakassi returnees involved in the summit was to let the federal government know that issue of Bakassi returnee was still at the front burner calling on federal government to quickly address the Bakassi issue to get the lives of the displaced people back on track.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 22, 2015

North Korea warns South Korea: We are near brink of war

S

tern warnings flew back and forth across the border between North Korea and South Korea on Friday, the day before a Northimposed deadline for the South to shut off propaganda broadcasts or face war.

Kim Jong Un, the supreme commander of the North Korean military, ordered front-line units along the heavily fortified frontier to move to a war footing Friday evening, state media reported.

His nuclear-armed regime, known for being both thin-skinned and fond of saber rattling, has warned South Korea it faces military action if it doesn’t turn off the propaganda loudspeakers

by Saturday evening.

“The situation of the country is now inching closer to the brink of war,” Ji Jae Ryong, North Korean ambassador to China, told journalists in Beijing on Friday. He blamed South Korea for the situation.

That doesn’t necessarily mean war really is imminent: North Korea has used similar language in the past without hostilities breaking out.

But South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo said Friday that North Korea was pushing the tensions “to the utmost level.”

“North Korea’s offensive action is a despicable crime that breaks a ceasefire agreement and the non-aggression treaty between North and South,” Han said in an address broadcast on South Korean television.

“If North Korea continues on provoking, our military -- as we have already warned -- will respond sternly, and end the evil provocations of North Korea,” he said, adding the country is working closely with the United States.

As the verbal sniping continued, the South’s President, Park Geun-hye,

visited troops at a base south of Seoul, receiving a briefing from military officials on the latest situation, her office said.

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula have been escalating since two South Korean soldiers were seriously wounded by landmines August 4 in the Demilitarized Zone.

South Korea and the U.S.-led U.N. Command in Korea concluded North Korea planted the mines

on a patrol route in the southern part of the zone.

North Korea has denied responsibility and refused South Korean demands for an apology.

Seoul’s response was to resume cross-border propaganda broadcasts last week for the first time in more than a decade, a move virtually guaranteed to anger the regime in Pyongyang.

The question now is whether the situation will

escalate further.

North Korea has used similarly alarming language in previous periods of high tension In 2013, the country announced it had entered “a state of war” with South Korea. That situation didn’t result in military action, although North Korea did temporarily shut down the two countries’ joint industrial zone, which lies on its side of the border.

more.

The entertainment industry is known to be extremely unforgiving to women.

Young Hollywood actors and actresses make about the same in yearly earnings but that parity quickly evaporates as

they age.

According to one study, actresses’ pay peaks at age 34 and sharply drops off. Actors on the other hand reach their earnings peak at 51, and just as importantly, their pay does not drop after that nearly as severely as it does for actresses.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

55

Israel strikes at Syrian targets

A

fter two rockets landed in Israel and two hit in Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, the military responded with airstrikes and artillery at Syrian targets, Israel said late Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces targeted 14 Syrian military posts in an area in the Golan Heights under Syrian control, the military said in a written statement.

“Iran sponsored these attacks. These were clear and intentional acts of aggression, directly violating Israelis sovereignty,” the statement said.

“The IDF holds the Syrian government responsible for all attacks emanating from Syrian territory.”

Earlier Israel said no one was injured in the rocket attacks, which targeted northern Israel.

The Golan is regarded internationally as occupied territory despite Israeli annexation. But it is home to 41,000 residents, including Jews, Druze and Alawites. Israel seized the territory from Syria during the 1967 Israel-Arab war, and it was eventually annexed.

Jennifer Lawrence is world’s highest paid US teen killed actress by police shot

J

ennifer Lawrence, the 25-year-old “Hunger Games” star, is the world’s highest paid actress, according to a new ranking published

by Forbes.

The actress took in an estimated $52 million in earnings over the last year to June, thanks to her role in the fantasy action triology as the heroic ‘Katniss Everdeen.’

Scarlett Johansson came in second, raking in a cool $35.5 million, followed by ‘Bridesmaid’ star Melissa McCarthy with $23 million.

Only one non-American made the ranking -Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who broke into the top 20 for the first time, earning $21 million.

While $52 million is no chump change, it pales in comparison to what the highest paid men in Hollywood can command.

This year’s best paid actor, Robert Downey Jr., made a whopping $80 million.

Only four actresses on the list earned more than $20 million, while 21 of their male counterparts banked $20 million or

Jennifer

in the back

A

black man killed in a shooting by St. Louis police Wednesday died from a gunshot wound in the back, the city’s police department said Friday, citing an autopsy.

Police have said that Mansur Ball-Bey, 18, pointed a gun at them before officers opened fire -- an account disputed by his family’s attorney. Chief of Police Sam Dotson said that the wound’s location doesn’t confirm or disprove the officers’ account that Ball-Bey pointed a gun, according to a report Friday by the St. Louis PostDispatch.

“Just because he was shot in the back doesn’t mean he was running away,” Dotson said, according to the Post-Dispatch. “It could be, and I’m not saying that it doesn’t mean that. I just don’t know yet.”

Wednesday’s shooting sparked demonstra-

tions that night, with protesters throwing bricks and bottles at officers, and people setting a car on fire and burglarizing businesses, according to police.

Ball-Bey’s death comes amid tense relations between police and some residents in St. Louis following last year’s shooting death of black teenager Michael Brown by a white police officer in nearby Ferguson, Missouri. Brown’s death sparked protests and reignited a national conversation about race and policing.

The two officers involved in Wednesday’s shooting were placed on administrative leave, per police policy.

The autopsy findings will be included in an investigative report to city and federal prosecutors, who will decide whether charges will be filed in the case, police said.

Quote

of

the

day

“I say it anywhere I go that even though we have not added one single megawatt to power, there has been improvement. My colleagues in the PDP will say no; that’s not true. But I maintain that this improvement is as a result of the kind of integrity that President Buhari has brought to leadership.”

—APC spokesperson, Alhaji. Lai Mohammed, speaking at 2015 Electricity Market Summit in Abuja on Thursday.

Saturday, August 22, 2015. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

The strategy before the business (III)

T

he performance of the key drivers is very important, not only to the result of the organisation but largely to so many stakeholders, for in an organisation, there are different things that are considered important to different people. The common goal is profit and the capacity of the strategy to secure continuation of the organisation in both short and long terms.

To some of us, profit comes last.

We consider the importance of the strategy and organisation alignment as key to profit and continuity. We see our engagement more as an act of creating value and some joy of excitement, just like a doctor creating life in a hopeless situation, or seeing a baby growing despite all challenges. Seeing an organisation in good health is a source of joy to us. And just like a doctor who is carrying out the most dangerous caesarean operation on a woman whose baby presented two legs for delivery, we can only try our best!

We do not give one hundred percent guarantee that all will be well. But in most cases, maybe we may have one or two beyond our control in more than a dozen cases of corporate surgery.

The expectation of the stakeholders includes for instance the Investor (Financial Return), Employees (Challenge, Security, and Training), Customers (Quality, Price, Access, Features) Suppliers (Terms, Stability, and Partnership), Consultants (Networks, Learning, Profit), Competitors (Predictability, Respect), Regulators (Compliance, Information) and Community (Contribution, Citizenship).

The only thing that can encourage an investor to continue to invest in any business is good returns on investment and this he compares with alternative investment opportunities and the very cost of money.

If the return on investment is not encouraging, the possibility of divestment is almost certain. And if there is no consideration for that,

CFR

C ompany

books are adjusted to

give room for profit .

In

some cases ,

particularly in our financial institutions , the said profit is

borrowed or depositors ’ funds are used to pay for unearned profit .

T his often leads to disaster.

It ’s a dangerous game!

maybe as a result of no market for such decision, then it will be almost impossible for him to do more investment in the same company.

The message is for the strategist to plan around good returns on investment in the form of profitability. The very least that an investor may accept is a positive prospect for his investment. If the return is not coming on time, the strategistgeneral may confront the investor with the future plans that will de-

In

liver good prospects. In most cases, unintelligent CEOs always ask the investor to bring more money without advising on the prospects for returns and what the future has in stock for the investor.

Where the business is of the nature that the investor needs immediate returns on his investment, the plan must not be too expansive as to demand for further expansion that will necessitate more investment to finance strategic kits that

business , the interests of the

stakeholders are not the same .

Interests

differ .

It’s

not every

stakeholder that wants profit , so everything in the plan cannot be for profit .

will result in delay on the return of profitability. If this is the strategy, the investor must be duly carried along and his consent obtained. No CEO can continue to run a business without the loyalty of the investor.

And if the loyalty of the CEO to the investor is in doubt, it is better for the CEO to look for another job.

There is no strategic plan that can compromise this.

In business, the interests of the stakeholders are not the same. Interests differ. It is not every stakeholder that wants profit, so everything in the plan cannot be for profit.

The problem in practice is that the amount of plan devoted for profit is beyond consideration.

And most times, the CEO is running around for profit only, particularly for public quoted companies.

In most cases, this had led to so many problems, such that company books are adjusted to give room for profit or appreciable return on investment. Or in some cases, particularly in our financial institutions, they have to borrow the said profit or outrightly use depositors’ funds to pay for unearned profit. This often leads to disaster. It’s a dangerous game!

When the CEO is running around for profit at the expense of the interest of other stakeholders who are not interested in profit, the appropriate thing to do is to balance the plan. For instance, how does one explain the interest of the competitors who are not interested in your profit? Their sole desire is to put your company at competitive disadvantage, such that you cannot make any profit. In most cases, the CEO has to for fight for the survival of the company. How do you explain the fake news suddenly at mid night, ‘Indomie Noodles kill’?

The CEO, within twenty four hours, had to appear on television and eat the product live to restore customer loyalty! The interest of the competitor is far more than profit.

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